the greater in number. Then Olaf was asked to decide. He said, "I
think we should follow the counsel of the wisest; for the counsels of
foolish men I think will be of all the worse service for us in the
greater number they gather together." And now they deemed the matter
settled, since Olaf spake in this manner; and Orn took the steering
from that time. [Sidenote: They get to Ireland] They sailed for days
and nights, but always with very little wind. One night the watchmen
leapt up, and bade every one wake at once, and said they saw land so
near that they had almost struck on it. The sail was up, but there was
but little wind. Every one got up, and Orn bade them clear away from
the land, if they could. Olaf said, "That is not the way out of our
plight, for I see reefs all about astern; so let down the sail at
once, and we will take our counsel when there is daylight, and we know
what land this is." Then they cast anchors, and they caught bottom at
once. There was much talk during the night as to where they could be
come to; and when daylight was up they recognised that it was Ireland.
Orn said, "I don't think we have come to a good place, for this is far
away from the harbours or market-towns, whose strangers enjoy peace;
and we are now left high and dry, like sticklebacks, and near enough,
I think, I come to the laws of the Irish in saying that they will lay
claim to the goods we have on board as their lawful prize, for as
flotsam they put down ships even when sea has ebbed out shorter from
the stern (than here)." Olaf said no harm would happen, "But I have
seen that to-day there is a gathering of men up inland; so the Irish
think, no doubt, the arrival of this ship a great thing. During the
ebb-tide to-day I noticed that there was a dip, and that out of the
dip the sea fell without emptying it out; and if our ship has not been
damaged, we can put out our boat and tow the ship into it." There was
a bottom of loam where they had been riding at anchor, so that not a
plank of the ship was damaged. [Sidenote: The Irish] So Olaf and his