They took the castles of Dunoon
and Roseneath, and laid waste many villages and farmsteads. Farther
still they went, up the waters of Loch Long, devastating the lands on
either side. At the head of Loch Long they took their smaller ships and
mounting them on rollers made of the trunks of larch trees, they dragged
the vessels bodily over the neck of land that lies between Arrochar and
Tarbet, and launched them on the great lake that is called Loch Lomond.
Now on Loch Lomond there are many small islands that were at that time
thickly peopled, and many Scots of the invaded earldom of Lennox had
taken refuge on those islands when they heard that the Norsemen were
advancing. Their safeholds now became the scenes of plunder and
bloodshed, the islands were wasted with fire, the shores of the
beautiful lake were completely ravaged, and the houses on its borders
burnt to the ground.
After this, Roderic and Magnus made an extended expedition into the rich
county of Stirling, in which they massacred great numbers of
inhabitants, and returned driving herds of cattle before them, and
loaded with booty.
During his voyage up the Clyde, Roderic had paid little heed to the fair
captive Aasta. But when, triumphant and gloating, he returned to the
ships he had left in Loch Long, he discovered that his prisoner had
escaped, and he was very wrathful, for, as he said, the maid was passing
fair, and he had been minded to take her back with him to his castle.
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