[343]. Húdfat—skin-bags, or sleeping haps, made of hides sewed together, so as to envelope the sleeper as in a sack.
[344]. Still known as the Swelkie, a dangerous whirlpool in certain states of the tide, off the island of Stroma, fabled to be caused by the waters being sucked down through the eye of the quern “Grotti,” which once belonged to King Fródi. Grotti was found in Denmark, and was the largest quern that had ever been known. It would grind for King Fródi gold or peace, which he pleased. But the sea-king M['y]sing took Grotti, and caused white salt to be ground in his ships till they sank in Pentland’s Firth. This is why the Swelkie has been there ever since. As the waters fall through the eye of the quern, the sea roars as the quern grinds; and, moreover, this is how the sea first became salt.—(Elder Edda, Grottasöng.) Traces of this legend still linger in the locality.
[345]. Ekkialsbakki is three times mentioned in the Flateyjarbók, and Ekkial once by Arnór Jarlaskáld (see p. [22]). Earl Sigurd, Eystein’s son, who killed Malbrigd (Maormor of Mar according to Skene), was “hoy-laid” (buried in a how or barrow, haugr), on Ekkialsbakki. “There cannot be the least doubt,” says Worsaae, in his ‘Danes and Northmen,’ “that Ekkial is the river Oykill (Oykel), which still forms the southern boundary of Sutherland. But nobody is able to point out the barrow of Sigurd Jarl. The tradition relating to it has vanished with the Norwegian population.” But, fortunately, there are records more permanent and reliable than popular tradition, by which the truth of the Saga narrative may be verified, and the locality of Sigurd’s grave-mound indisputably fixed. There is a place near the Ferry on the north bank of the Dornoch Firth (into which the Oykel runs) which is now somewhat inappropriately called Cyder Hall. In Blaeu’s Atlas (1640) it appears as Siddera. In older charters it is conjoined with Skebo, and called Sythera. In a deed of the year 1275 the Bishop of Caithness claims right to “six davochs of Schythebolle and Sytheraw, with the ferry.” In the deed of constitution of the Cathedral Chapter of Caithness, executed between 1223 and 1245, there are assigned to the treasurer the rectorial tithes of Scytheboll and Siwardhoch, its conjunction with Scytheboll showing it to be the same place which is called at subsequent periods Sytheraw, Siddera, and Cyder Hall. This place, named Siward’s Hoch (Sigurd’s haug) at that early date, could be no other than the traditional site of Earl Sigurd’s grave-mound, and the Ekkialsbakki on which he was buried must thus have been the north bank of the Oykel’s estuary. But the Ekkialsbakki twice mentioned in connection with Swein Asleifson’s journey to Athole can scarcely be the same with that of the earlier narrative. It seems probable that in Swein Asleifson’s narrative the word may have been originally Atjoklsbakki—the coast on the side of the Breidafiord (Moray Firth) next to Atjöklar (Athole). The word bakki is sometimes used for a “coast.” The Saga writer may have been misled by the similarity of sound to substitute Ekkialsbakki for Atjoklsbakki. (See p. [115].)
[346]. The name of Maddad, Earl of Athole, appears in contemporary documents as Maddoc, Madach, and Madeth. In the foundation-charter of Scone by King Alexander I. and his queen Sibilla, “Madach Comes” is a witness. “Maddoc” and “Madeth Comes” also witness charters of King David I. From a charter by King Malcolm the Maiden, granting aid for the restoration of the Abbey of Scone, we learn that the style of the Earls of Athole was “Comes de Ethocl,” the Atjokl of the Saga.—(Regist. de Dunferm. Regist. de Scone.)
[347]. Geitaberg is probably the place now known as Gatnip, on the east side of Scapa Bay, near Kirkwall. It is formerly stated that Játvör and her son Borgar lived at Knarrarstad, which is evidently the name for the district, while Geitaberg was the name of Borgar’s homestead. Gatnip is the highest point on that side of the bay, and thus Borgar was able to notice the barge rowed by Swein’s men as it passed up and down the Firth.
[348]. Magnus, in the text here, is clearly a mistake for Hákon.
[349]. The erection of St. Magnus’ Church was commenced apparently between the years 1136 and 1138. The remains of St. Magnus appear to have been transferred to it from Christ’s Church, in Birsay, previous to the departure of Earl Rögnvald to the Holy Land in 1152. After Earl Rögnvald’s death, in 1158, the building of the cathedral was carried on by Bishop William, until his death in 1168, after which we have no record of its progress.
[350]. The odal tenure of the lands in the islands was first modified by Harald Harfagri in the time of the Earl Torf Einar. Earl Sigurd Hlödverson restored the odal rights in return for the assistance of the Bœndr at the battle of Skida Myre (see [Appendix]). This arrangement subsisted till the imposition of the succession-dues by Earl Rögnvald, which were subsequently bought up, as here narrated.
[351]. Knarrarstad, as has been formerly explained, was applied to the district at the head of the Bay of Scapa. It was so called because it was the place where the merchant-ships lay—from Knarrar, genitive of knörr, a merchant-ship; and stadr, a stance or stead. The name is preserved in old estate-lists as Knarstane. In the near neighbourhood there is an ancient “broch” or “Pictish tower,” recently excavated by Mr. George Petrie. Remains of very extensive buildings have been found within and around it, evidently belonging to a secondary occupation of the tower, of later date than that of its original construction. Among the relics found in these secondary buildings there are some which correspond with relics of the later Viking period found in Scandinavia. This gives a certain amount of probability to the supposition that the ruins of this “Pictish tower” may have been occupied and utilised by Earl Rögnvald’s men, as we know that the similar tower of Mousa, in Shetland, was on different occasions, one of which is narrated in chap. xcii. of this same Saga.
[352]. This incident bears a remarkable similarity to that related in chap. lxvi.