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About the beginning of the ix. age, the west was miserably harassed by pirates, a profession then as honourable as it was in Greece, when they hailed each other, ει ληςαι εισιν; Charlemagne, alarmed' at their progress, engaged Echach, king of Scotland, to assist in repressing their depredations; but their endeavours were to little purpose. All the islands round Britain were successively visited by Regner, and Harold Harfager. Harold, having reduced the Orkneys, formed them into a principality which became very troublesome to Scotland. Earl Torfin, marrying Grelog the daughter of Duncan earl of Cathness, added that county, together with the eastern coasts of Sutherland, Ross, and Murrayshire to his estate. He was father to Sculi and Liod, who, at the battle of Skida-myre, routed Finlaig, thane of Angus, and his son Magbiodr (Macbeth) afterwards the usurper. The power of Sigurd the corpulent became so suspicious, that Olave, king of Norway, demanded his son Hund as a hostage. Hund (perhaps the father of Kalfr who pretended to some part of Scotland) dying in Norway
