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242 EELIGION OF THE NORTHMEN.
men by two names : holmgdnga and eirfvigi, terms
which were sometimes distinguished, biit which
were more frequently used indiscriminately.
The holmgang was so named because it origin-
ally took place on an islet or holm, where the com-
batants could be more undisturbed and less liable to
be interfered with by others, who might venture to
mingle in their quarrel, or separate them against
their will ; and where the field of battle might have
natural boundaries beyond which neither of the
parties could possibly retreat. Other artificially-
inclosed battle-grounds afterwards took the place of
the holms, but they still retained the name, and
when possible, were laid out upon a small island.
The holmgang took place after a preliminary chal-
lenge (at skora a holm ; at skora a til holmgongu), at
which the time 'and place were fixed, and at the samfe
time the challenger declared his antagonist, should'
he not accept the challenge, to be every man's
Nithing, i. e., a man whom every one might scoff
with impunity.
The usages of the holmgang are variously described
; no doubt they varied in minor essentials at
different periods, and were probably dependent, in
many particulars, upon the choice of the combat-
ants, especially of the challenger. A few of the
more detailed accounts of such duels, according to
the Sagas, shall here be given.
The Icelander Egil SkaUagrimsson, while on a
journey through Norway in the time of Hakon A6al-
steinsfostri, came to the estate of Blindheim on the
island Hau5, wb?r§ fi 7^^°S
parish OTerseer, Fri^-