Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-10-08
An Old Morse Vessel.
DESCRIPTION OF AN ExHuMEp SHIP BUILT
THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
A letter from the Hon. John L. Stevens


THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
A letter from the Hon. John Il. Stevens,
UNITED States Minister 20 Sweden, dated
lat Stockholm, juno 30th, and printed by
the Augusta. Me-, Journal gives the fol
lowing description Of the recently ex-
[humed Morse vessel:
ave were much interested in secing
THE well-preserved remains of an Old
Morse vessel built thousand years ago,
315 months since cxhumed from its burlal
fplacc Some leagues distant, west from
lthis city, on Christiania ford. there Is
small village called Godstad near which
Z there is tumulus long known IN the
1local traditions under the name of King
Hill. In the broad fields and meadows
stretching from the waters edge OF theE
4fiord to the foot of the mountains, isl
situated this round hill, nearly $50 feet in
diameter, which is covered with green
{turf. A proud and powerful Morse King,
il was told from generation to generation
Shad found here his last resting place, sur
rounded by his horses and his dogs, andy
with precious treasures of coins and jewels |
placed near his body. For centuries}
Bghosts were supposed here to keep watch |
Xand ward, and superstition and fear had5
Except ruthless hands and searching Gu
&pidity from making examination OF theJ
&supposed grave. But at last the spirit OF
Hrnodern inquiry has disarmed fear and!
8dared to penetrate the secrets Of theI
|8King's mound. The result has been the)
~ unearthing Of vessel of war of the nineth;
k!century, complete viking craft, in which,
&somc unknown chieftain at the close of;
Minis career Of exploits north and south, onl
|4fiord, river and sea, had been entombed
|4with the regal honors Of his people and
Htime. The SONS Of the farmer on whose|
&land the tumulrs is situated in January,
HlSSO, began an excavation, and digging
Mdown from the top We're not long in strik-
Fling timber. They suspended their work,
land reported their discovery to the learn
Escd men of an Antiquarian Association at
EChristiania. The later sent an antiquari-
aan expert to take up the task where the
Sfully pushed the investigation. The dig
Sging continued for some weeks, finally re-
&vealing the complete hull of an old viking
Hcraft, "a feet in length, Is feet broad
Mamidships, drawing 5 feet with 20 ribs.
HThe little round hill from which it was
Edug is nearly mile from the water line
Mof the ford, and the character of the al
@luvial soil conclusvely proves that in
Mformer centuries the waters reached its
#base. The vessel evidently had been
Edrawn from the ford on shore and placed
4on layer of hazel branches and moss
&and the sides had been covered with clay
Iand the whole had been filed with eartl
#and sand to form the funeral mound
s. "The vessel was placed with the sterr
Htoward the sea, in accord with the opinion
Mof the time, that when the Great Father
Iof Gods and men should call the burieC
Echieftain he might start from his buria
Htomb with his fully-appointed craft OF
Ethe foaming ocean. Within and at the
Wbottom of the vessel were found the re
Emains of several small finely shaped oaker
Hboats, placed over a considerable number
Eof oars some OF these for the small boats
Bothers, fully 20 feet in length, for aiding
81 the propulsion of the larger craft. Thu
Wform and finish of these oars scarcely adj
Emit of improvement, much like those il
Muse at the present day at the boat races
Mending in small, tine-cut blade, som'
Mwith ornamental carvings. In pile o
Hoax chips was found an elegantly Shaped
Ghatchet, of the shape peculiar to the young
Hiron age All along the outer sides of thu
Evessel, nearly from stem to stern, extend
Eed n row of circular shields, placed lik
Mscales of fish, and these are partly paint
Med in yellow and black. In the middle o
Hthe vessel large oak block firmly secured
mto the bottom, with square hole for TIN
Emast, and several contrivances, shows
Hplainly that the mast could DO laid dow
GAIT In this part of the vessel was con
Instructed the funeralchamber, formed b,
Estrong planks and beams placed obliquel,
Yand covering room about Is feet square
4 Here keen disappointment met the ex
Explorers. Some ruthless hand nerved b,
Gavarice had preceded them. In some an
Interior time, when the costly weapons ant
Ejewels of buried heroes made temptations
q too strong for the superstitious veneratioi
Eof the surviving warriors, or at u late
Eday when the greed for wealth was over
Emastering with the sons of Mortimer, tn,
@burial mound had been desecrated, it
kjewe!cd contents taken away, and wha
Ewas left was due to the haste and fear un
CIDER which the robbers had done thei
Awork-a few human bones, some shreds o
81 kind of brocade, some fragments of bri
Edles, saddles, in bronze silver and lead
fsand some metal buttons, on one of which
E'is remarkable representation of cava
y lier with Il lowered lance. On each sid,
Eof the chamber We're discovered the bone,
skof horse and of two dogs. In the for
award part of the ship was found larg,
Ecopper vessel, supposed to be the kitchen
Mcaldron of the crew, hammered out of /,
EsinSle piece of copper, giving striking
Wproof OF the antique period of the handi
Ecraft. The whole of this remarkable
Especimen of the vikings ship and con
Etents, as found, have been carefully exca
Hyated and removed to Christiania, ant
Eplaced erect on its keel in u building spe
Ecially prepared to receive it. We were
Estruck with its fine nautical proportions
(which plainly indicate how little change
II has been made in the form and cunning
Eof ocean craft in the centuries which have
collapsed since this was first launched on
Ethe wave.
81 AS to the time which has passed since
Esthis piece OF ancient Morse architecture
Hhas lain buried beneath the hillock which
1.-THE chieftain's followers reared, there il
8no doubt among the antiquarians that il
3dates from the period termed the younge,
!iron age; distant from our day 1000 years
The antiquarian museums at Copenhagen
BStockholm and Christiania show the train.
Wing and the experience which Scandi-
gnayian experts have had on such subjects
"a thousand years since this vessel was
fashioned out Of the solid oak We care
fully examined it's workmanship. On
keei stem, ribs and casinps were IN bo