The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19

she had been decorated with them wnen
she was buried.
There was no regular. permanent deck,
but a light. temporary affair was used. as |
SHOWN by the number OF curiOusly carved |
boards, which fitted closely together, |
their ends resting on shoulders on the in
side Of the frames tor ribs). Evidently a |
tent was used to cover the ship as por- |
tons Of the material used. and several |
carved pieces OF wood-thoUght to be tent |
poles-were found.
The rudder was shaped like the blade OF
large oar and hung on the starhoard |
Quarter-steeriug quarter-whence came
the word steerboard-Starboard IL was
secured against two clamps outside by
means Of a rope. which did not prevent its
moving easily, or being lifted in shallow
water; the tiller pointed athwartsnips,
and was very deliberately carved. This
was the old original method OF early days,
and il was several centuries later before
the rudder was hung astern
The weirdest and most interesting part
az the old craft is the sepulchrai chamber,
which extends from the mast cut OF
level with IT, aft TO the stern, and II Is
built OF heavy timber after the fashion OF
a tent or roof. In those old days when
a sea king died a spot was selected for
his mound near the sea and the ship
dragged no 10 the place by horses Here
it was imbedded I'm p0tter's clay the stern
being toward the water.
When the sepulchral ct amber was ready
the chief was placed within st. lying on
his bed dressed in complete armor, with
his favoHte weapons by his side. the
chamber was then closed and covered
with birch bark. His horse and dogs
wrere then killed and placed alongside
the ship that the dead warrior might ride
90 Nalalla IL he chose. and then the rest
OF the ship was covered over with clay,
and over an, horses. dogs and sheep, was
raised the mound. During the excavation
at Sandefiord the boz IS OF a dozen horses
and six dogs were found around the ship,
but no wagons. A great yawnirg hole IN
The port side however. through which
! one might enter into the sepulchrai cham
| Der. told the tale that long, long, ago
some marauders had broken into the tomb
and robbed IL Of its treasures. That must
| have been many centuries since, but the
evidence Of their visit was apparent I'm
the confusion OF the chamber, and the
absence OF the costly weapons and trink-
cts placed there at first
The Viking had two classes OF these
vessels called snekiar and drakar. accord
| ing TO their size and ornamentauon. The
drakars or dragon ships, were the
| serablance 90 this monster. the carved
stem bearing the forbidding head which
was 20 strike terror to the hearts OF the
enemy. such was the Long Serpent, de-
scribci by Longfenow, the famous ship
ol King Olaf. which was $50 feet long.
Though only nineteen feet at her greatest
| breadth of beam. Her bread llue sails
| were cut 20 resemble dragons wings.
while the sninin- shields hanging over
! hcr sides from stem to- stern. and the
dripping moving oars. resemhlcd the
scales and less of the monster Aloft
| from her masthead hoated-
The Dragons nas each Norscman
! knows
TO friends n shield. a scourge to foes.
Well might the king be proud Of her.
| and the fame of Tborberg Skating, her
| builder be celebrated throughout the
| Northand.
The buried vessel was Of the snokjar
| {sDakc) class, which were without orna-
! mentadon. They were supposed TO glide
| swiftly and steaItbily along over the
| waves. darling suddenly upon their prey,
! after the manner OF their namesakes
| ashore. None of the great dragon ships
| have ever been found-in fact. only two
| of the hgnter craft have been discovered
! The other being dug out Of a mound az
/ Tune, about niUety-uve or thirty years ago.
| ago.
! Il was much smaller ana not nearly so
| wei preserved rs the GOkstad ship and
! dated from an even earlier period. In an
| probability only the smaller vessels were
! used for burial purpose 40 matter what
| the rank of the chicftain. for, it we may
| Judge from the magnitude Of this mound.
! the number OF stain horses ana dogs, and
| the perfection ana finish Of the work OF
d. BE-
! royalty itself was Inferred in the vi
! king" whose reproduction is so soon 60
! visit us.
The claim made for the discovery OF
| America by the VIKINGS seems never TO
! have received any very serious attention,
| as there are few. IL any. traces left OF
/ thei- visits. If we except the mythical
| history OF the old stone tower OF mill,
| al Newport upon which % build sub
J stanual conclusions. 1t seems % be
/ bassed almost entirely on the old Iceiandic
| sacas. which are the principal sources oil
| their history at that period. These sagas
! are simply tales which chronicle the
| heroic or adventurous deeds and exploits
| OF the great kings of Norway and Den
| mark. handed down by those who haC
| fought with them. and came Into exist
! ence about the year 1880, and Whicf
after generation Or two Of recital wer,
| eventually written down.
In referring 90 the Norwegian discovery
| Washington Irving says: III the Legends
OF the scandinavian voyages be correct
| and their mysterious Vinland was Oh.
| coast OF Labrado, or the shore Of New
| FOundland. they had but transient
gimpses of the new world leading 20 H,
| certain or permanent knowledge and. I
n little while, lost again 10 mankind.
Let us see what is claimed.
| According 10 the sagas, about the yeal
gS5 the famous Viking. Erik the Red, whC
had been banished from Iceland discoy
cred Greenland and persuaded some Of
his comrades 10 settle there. In the fol
| lowing year Bjorni the son OF one Of
these sailed from Iceland 20 join hi
father I'm Greenland. but shaping hi
course to far south, discovered America
and sailed along the coast OF Connecticut
| Massachusetts, and Nova Scotia befor
finding the ford on the Greenland coast
| where his father dwelt. Then The Lett, th
| son of Erik, bought the vessel from BJorni
and made another voyage OF discovery
| visiting America a second time. Othe
! expeditions followed. and the saga o
Thorhnn tells OF several voyages TO GU
| country.
The saga OF Erik the Red" tells tn
story Of the discovery Of Greenland an
Vineland (America) and another accoun
from the same source fixes the landin
place Of Left Erikssen as near where IN
town Of Taunton now stands, and IL
even stated that he built n city Gale
Norumbega, on the Charles river, abou
twelve miles from Boston. AT any rat
a statue perpetuates his memory in homo
OF the event.
Another interesting account is that
party of Vikings were driven many DAY
before a violent gale, until they came
,sraIf-r,-ag1af level country