Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-08-12
THE HERALD.
A Vikings Ship.

ralaees for tombs, the wild sea.rovers
of the North were buried with their
ships. During last January a dis.
covery was made at SandeGord, 10
Norway, which resulted in the ex-
humiug Of the funeral vessel of some
grand old Viking whose fleet was
once, perhaps, the terror of the nor
thern seas. Near the bathing es
tablishment at Saudelord there is a
tnmulus locality known as Kings
Hall. Under this, tradition averred
tbat mighty king had been buried
with costly treasures about his
body. Till lately, either owing to
superstition or some similar senLi.
ment, the remains had apparently
lain undisturbed. In the early part
Of this year, however, the peasants
on whose land the tumuius was sit.
uated began to sink well. On
reaching some timber they prudent
~ summoned the services of an able
aptiqualy, and under his guidance
the whole body of he olt Yikiog
v.ssfl was rev ele5, serenity four
(. 81 l1ng oesweea ,tem aIi stern,
sixteen feet broad midanip, drawing
five feet, ard with twenty ribs.
This is far larger aud moro complete
than the ancient vessel discovered
iu 1863. at Nydam, and il 1867 q.
Ture.
1t is evident that when the burial
took place the sea (Which ia now a
mile away washed the base of the
tumulus. The craft is placed with
her stem toward the sea, so that
when the Great Father should call
him, the chieftain might start fully
equipped from his tomb. Among
the articles found in the vessel were
some smaller boats, quantity Of
oars, and some shields ragged along
the free board, and too thin to be
used Tor any but ornamental pur.
poses. On entering the funeral
chamber the explorers were disap.
pointed. Some one, either in ancient
or modern days, had been there be.
fore them, and had carried off all
the more cherished treasures. Bones
of men, horses, aud dogs, together
with various utensils, drinking cups,
etc were, however, found. The
tumulus is supposed to date from
about the year 800, when Cnarl9,
mango was Crowned Emperor of
Rome, and when Norway was still
divided between the wild chieftains
and sea-kings.
1t is to be regretted that the ves-
sci had been in any way despoiled
previous TO the late discovery, for
in this age Of arch@ ologlcal enthu-
siasm each article would have been
the subject OF interesting investiga-
ti0ns. So much Of the chip and It's
equipment remains, however, as to
show exactly the kind of vessel
wherewith the cid Noraemen rav9g-
Cd the coasts of Europe, and even
made their. way to America. The
greater part of the mast, which
seems to have measured about TWEEN.
ty.two feet, still remains. Rem
rants Of sails and of tackle are FIRE.
qQent, SO oil frag ments or complete
specimens of ships utensils and di.
visions, the place and application of
which it viii be the difficult task of
entiquarians 10 solve. Several wood.
en- articles of peculiar form have
been found in excellens preserva-
ton, and fashioned with remarkable
Ak H. That those articloa, which
are ono and q half fest ia length,
were used as grooves through which
tho ropes passed ia evident from the
fact that their circular openings are
much worn by use-a proof, ct the
same time, that this ship must have
frequently plunged the sea before
finding 4 last resting-placo in the
grave mound. How these pieces of
wood, which are constructed of ex,
ceilent oak, wero fastened to the
mast or the body Of the ship is a
problem the aoll ticn Of which will
be Of great interest. II this point
be successful cleared up, we will
obtain hitb erto unexpected insight
into the method in which Nor.
wcgian Viking ship was handled
during mGumuvers in the eighth and
ninth centuries.
Whatovor their methods OF navi
cation were, we know that the Vik.
ings covered the sea with their YES.
sells, and spread terror and desola
ton over avery country that they
could roach. During the space o.
two hundred years they often in
vaded Scotland and Ireland, ant
made inouraiOus on tho coasts O
Lixonia, Courland, and Pomerania
Already feared before the time o
Charlemagne, they became more
terrible a. soon as this great mon
srch's eyes wereclosed. He is known
to have shed tears on hearing tina
these barbarians had, on such oc
casion defed his name, and all The
precautions he had made to Oppose
Thorn He torsaw what his people
would suffer FROM their courage I'M
der his feeble Successors. And uever
was presGge better g-ounded. Tney
soon spread, like devouaing flame
over Lhwor SaxopY, Friesland, Hol
land, Flanders, and tbs banks of N,
Rhine as far az Meutz They pone
trated into the heart of France
having long before ravaged th,
coasts, They found their way NJ
to Somme, the Loire, the Gsroune
and the Rhone. Within the space
OF thirty years they frequently Dill
LACED and burned Paris, Amiens
Orleans, Poitiers, Bordeaux, Toul
ouse, Seintes. Angouleme, Nantes
and Toura They settled them selves
in Camsrgue. At the mouth of tn,
Rhoue, from whence they wasted
Provence and Dauphiny as far a
1 Nalence, In short, tboy ruiueC
France, levied immense trioute OF
its monarchy, burned the palace o
Chsrlemagne at Aixsls. Chapelle, am
in conclusion, caused one OF tbs
finest provinces Of the kingdom t,
be oedsd to them. They often car
ried their arms in Spaiu, and ever