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Authors: Nigel Tranter
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for—who also were charged with burying the Norse dead.
Before they left the camp—most of them extremely unwillingly—to follow the fleeing enemy into the hills, Somerled consulted the township men as to where the Norsemen would be likely to head in these circumstances. All agreed that they would almost certainly make through these Ardgour mountains, up Glen Gour and over the Sunart watershed for the great sea-loch of Shiel in Moidart, which lay some twenty difficult miles north-westwards and reached another score of miles inland from the ocean. The Vikings were known to have a base on Loch Shiel, from which they dominated Moidart and Sunart. These defeated would almost certainly seek to join their fellow-countrymen there.
Twenty miles. Somerled calculated. These sea-pirates were not likely to be good hillmen and, dejected and with their wounded, they would not cover that distance quickly through rough country. But his own people were desperately tired also and in no state for further fighting meantime. Besides, he had achieved his immediate objectives. There was no need actually to catch up with these fleeing men, so long as they saw them off these Argyll territories and prevented any reunion with their shipping. He would follow on slowly, therefore, and allow the enemy to know that they were being pursued.
He left behind a couple of men, and Murdoch the Achranich fisherman, to keep hidden watch for the returning longships and to bring him word as to what they did. He also warned the Sallachan folk to be ready to retire from their township meantime, with his wounded, for the returning Norse crews might well seek to work off their wrath on the local population, although in the circumstances he thought that they would be more likely to fear further attack and be concerned with leaving the neighbourhood. Somerled assured the people that he and his men would be back before long. Also their four decoy ships, from the Lochaber side, might well turn up in due course and should be instructed to await him here.
This all arranged, the company set off unhurriedly in the wake of the Norsemen, up Glen Gour and into the empty hills. It was nearly noonday.
No need to detail that long tramp across the hills of Ardgour and Sunart. It was not enjoyable for weary men, but on the other hand it was not any ordeal, with no great pressures upon anyone and the tensions of the last days slackened. Now and again they caught glimpses of the Norsemen in the distance—and it was desirable that they themselves should be seen to be following—but in the main, each party was out-of-sight of the other in that wild, upheaved country.
Glen Gour ran for some five miles north-westwards through increasingly high and rugged mountains and then petered out amidst a chaos of soaring peaks which formed the watershed and through which a lofty, steep and narrow pass penetrated. Two or three stony miles of this and Somerled decided that he had asked enough of his Irishmen. It was an inhospitable spot in which to spend the night but he reckoned that his people were sufficiently tired not to care. They had brought beef with them and though there was no woodland here now, there were plenty of whitened bog-pine roots for fires. That the Norsemen ahead might see these fires or their reflections and realise that their pursuers had halted, did not matter; probably they would be relieved and call a halt likewise. He posted sentries, however, well ahead in the defile. For the rest, full bellies and sleep, at last.
There were no alarms. Morning brought reports from the sentries that about a mile further the ground began to drop steadily, and that the lower ground beyond could be seen to be much wooded, with in the distance a large loch, no doubt Shiel. The Vikings could be seen, well down towards the woods, and still moving westwards.
Fairly soon after this the man Murdoch turned up from Sallachan, having been walking since dawn. He brought word that the six enemy
Before they left the camp—most of them extremely unwillingly—to follow the fleeing enemy into the hills, Somerled consulted the township men as to where the Norsemen would be likely to head in these circumstances. All agreed that they would almost certainly make through these Ardgour mountains, up Glen Gour and over the Sunart watershed for the great sea-loch of Shiel in Moidart, which lay some twenty difficult miles north-westwards and reached another score of miles inland from the ocean. The Vikings were known to have a base on Loch Shiel, from which they dominated Moidart and Sunart. These defeated would almost certainly seek to join their fellow-countrymen there.
Twenty miles. Somerled calculated. These sea-pirates were not likely to be good hillmen and, dejected and with their wounded, they would not cover that distance quickly through rough country. But his own people were desperately tired also and in no state for further fighting meantime. Besides, he had achieved his immediate objectives. There was no need actually to catch up with these fleeing men, so long as they saw them off these Argyll territories and prevented any reunion with their shipping. He would follow on slowly, therefore, and allow the enemy to know that they were being pursued.
He left behind a couple of men, and Murdoch the Achranich fisherman, to keep hidden watch for the returning longships and to bring him word as to what they did. He also warned the Sallachan folk to be ready to retire from their township meantime, with his wounded, for the returning Norse crews might well seek to work off their wrath on the local population, although in the circumstances he thought that they would be more likely to fear further attack and be concerned with leaving the neighbourhood. Somerled assured the people that he and his men would be back before long. Also their four decoy ships, from the Lochaber side, might well turn up in due course and should be instructed to await him here.
This all arranged, the company set off unhurriedly in the wake of the Norsemen, up Glen Gour and into the empty hills. It was nearly noonday.
No need to detail that long tramp across the hills of Ardgour and Sunart. It was not enjoyable for weary men, but on the other hand it was not any ordeal, with no great pressures upon anyone and the tensions of the last days slackened. Now and again they caught glimpses of the Norsemen in the distance—and it was desirable that they themselves should be seen to be following—but in the main, each party was out-of-sight of the other in that wild, upheaved country.
Glen Gour ran for some five miles north-westwards through increasingly high and rugged mountains and then petered out amidst a chaos of soaring peaks which formed the watershed and through which a lofty, steep and narrow pass penetrated. Two or three stony miles of this and Somerled decided that he had asked enough of his Irishmen. It was an inhospitable spot in which to spend the night but he reckoned that his people were sufficiently tired not to care. They had brought beef with them and though there was no woodland here now, there were plenty of whitened bog-pine roots for fires. That the Norsemen ahead might see these fires or their reflections and realise that their pursuers had halted, did not matter; probably they would be relieved and call a halt likewise. He posted sentries, however, well ahead in the defile. For the rest, full bellies and sleep, at last.
There were no alarms. Morning brought reports from the sentries that about a mile further the ground began to drop steadily, and that the lower ground beyond could be seen to be much wooded, with in the distance a large loch, no doubt Shiel. The Vikings could be seen, well down towards the woods, and still moving westwards.
Fairly soon after this the man Murdoch turned up from Sallachan, having been walking since dawn. He brought word that the six enemy
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