Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-11

VIKING SHIP On EXHIBITION
strake or strip Of oak plank tapping over the
edge Of another like the states on a roof There
are thirteen Of these strakes between the keel
and The top rail on each side and each averages
about an inch in thickness. They are fastened
to each other with iron nails ciinched and are
fastened 20 the frames by The tough roots of
trees, which gives 70 the craft n certain f-xi-
bilI;v and protects il from injury when the
wood shrinks or swells with the water The
seams are Calkei with cows hair spun in 20 cord
There are no decks. but I curious floor formed
by short planks resting on shoulders cut into
the frames. There are a great number OF these
floor boards. all of which are curiouslv carved
with Runic characters. No two Of the boards
are alike nearly all of hem being found in the
mound. The model shows how nicely the char
acters hit into each other.
IT PROBABLY HAD TENT.
1t is supposed that this ship had tent. The
saSas say that one was stretched over Viking
vessels TO protect the crew. 1t was made Of
white WOODEN stuff on which red stripes were
sewn Three Sanctions. erected in the center
are supposed to have been a support for this
tent as we'll as for the mast and the ward when
these were not IN use. Pieces of cloth were
found IN the mound probably fragments Oh t.e
tent: also short pieces OF hempen, cord VI. h
which 1t might have been stretched
i learned man in Norway has written large
quartO volume about the little triukeis that are
seen on the long glass shell above the model
but what they all are is not exactly known
The ship had been drawn up ont of the sea
when the chiei;ain died and placed with her
prov toward he water in an excavation Of the
Garth large grave chamber WIS then con-
structed in the middle Of the chip and back Of
the mast. where the BODY OF the chi-!tain WAS
placed. grit in full armOr and surrounded with
all his treasures o. horses and sad Hes dogs and
other Articles. These relics were found in this
grave chsmber.
There are two bedsteads with tall corner posts
ike those Of George Wa-hinSton's time among
these trlnkets, on the larger OF which the king
or cheftan uudOubtedly slept his last long sleep,
from which he has not been awakened vet by
the resurrection trump, as II was expected that
he would be. When they buried him i, was the
sounding of this which his followers wished
him to be ready 10 obey. The smaller bed
steads, OF which there were at least four were
berths for the sailors. Thew could be readily
taken apart and slowed away and were proba-
bly, kept during the day under the floor of the
ship with other utensils and trappings. Such
bedSteads are still found in Norway.
Children have probably prattIed about the
old ship and NAV have sailed in her on coastiny
trips. This Is proven By the finding OF wooden
Ratchet which was undoubtedly child S tow
and not a weapon of the early iron age, as some
have been led TO believe
One may see also the model of the gangplank
which the vikings used. This plank is twenty
seven feet long and twenty inches wide, with
eleats crosswIse to make good footing.
CARRIED THREE LIFEEoATs.
She also carried three ifeboa:s, which shows
that Vikings. for all their proves in battle and
their skill in handling ships, were careful to
guard against accidents. The longes. of these
boats was twenty-five feet OF keel and the short
est fourteen feet They carried masts and were
cilnker-bullt, like the large ship. These NAV
been u ha or fr,- Jir,rye
diiions for detachmcnis of the ships crew who
sailed out 10 different points gathering their
plumber together into the large boat, which was
anchored IL some Place of safety.
That the Vikings did not eat with their fingers
on troughS or trenchers is concluded from tho
finding Of many cooking and table utensils In
the mound there were found wooden plates
DRINKING cups with handles. tubs OF different
slzes, AZ well as small and large iron kettles
provided with curiOusly wrought chains for
hanging them over the fire. However. fires
were not made IL the ships, but in those days,
when chart and compass we're not known ves-
sels Kept near the coast and it was no difficult
thing to put ashore two CT three times daily for
Their meals.
Parts of a chair found in tho tomb give ri.e
70 an interesting question. No seats or benches
are found for the rowers and those concerned
TO know whc her there were seating provisions
made for the crew have been hoping to dis
cover another ship mound which would
stltAe question. MIS- CEllr 2nQOuDt-
edly mat OF the ch!eftain, who eat in IL as his
place of command.
With full equipment this vessel would draw
about three feet OF water. Her full comple-
ment OF men about seventy, allowing
enough 10 take turns az the oars and to wage a
good battle. With theso she would ride the
biggest pillows gracefully as a sea bird. Her
stem AMI stern posts were probably carved
to represent dragon head and tail-at least
50 those believe who should know best. There
were two kinds of Viking warships. called
SuekjIr and Drakar, according az they did or
did not have the carving. The Vikings often
built their ships to represent the dragon in this
manner that IL might brighten their enemies
II was the old story of tie sea serpent Long
fellow. IN his beautiful poem OF King Olaf,
which Is n poetical translation of one of the
sagas. tells the story, IL will be remembered, of
the building AID the cruise OF such dragon
ship.
wHEEE IT WAS DISCOVERED.
The mound in which this wonderful ship was
discovered. together with all these interesting
relies, is situated near the baths Of Sandefiord.
hot far from Christiana. Norway. 1t was in the
midst OF a farming region, a treeless plain,
aud IN former ages was very near the shore Of
the sea. The mound was over $50 feet in cir
eum!erence and fifteen feet or more in height
IT. surface had been cultivated for centuries.
his mound was situated on the so-called God
s'ak estate. and hence the ship Is called the
, Godsta& ship. There had been q legend that
the mound was burial place for a great king,
With his immense treasures, bat no one had
CARED 20 open it, interior, since IL was supposed
Nat sfiEiis kept guard there Tho sons of the