Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-24
The viking,

on the western size Oh SnTlStlaulaIlCrQ, III
a mound where. according to tradition. a
king was buried with all his treasures. The
ship was found to be in excellent preserva-
ton, and she was safely got out by the aid
Of the Antiquarian Society in Christiania,
and afterward acquired by the Christiania
University, where she now lies for View as
one Of the finest specimens Of antique curl
osity in the world. Here. at last, the actual
character Of vessels belonging to the Vik-
ing period was brought to light, and though
there may still be found in Norway some
mounds near the coast containing ships. 1t
Is certain We shall not find any vessel
which In respect of model and workmanship
can outrival the Gokstad ship.
How It Was Built.
The ship was not quite new when it was
inferred. as some wear can be found on the
rudder and oars. 1t was built Of oak, clink-
erbuilt and composed of keel. stem and
sternpost. frame timbers beams, knees and
external pianking. An interesting feature
10 that the frames are not fixed to the keel
but lie free above 1t, and that iron spikes
have been used to fasten the cardboard to
the keel and treenails to fix the uppermost
planks to the knees. while all the interven-
ing pianking is tied to the frames by means
Of apertures at certain distances, partly in
lodges on the frame timbers and partly in
cleats scored into the substance OF the
plank itself. The ends Of the beams rest
on the top of the frames, where they are
fitted on to the everything lower limbs of
the XII ees and its continuation; and as both
these are somewhat narrower than the
beam. a ledge is formed on which the ends
of the bottom boards rest. To support the
mast q great oak balk Is laid amidship and
along the keel slotted to admit the frame.
and again over this. large oak block
grooved to admit the beams: this block is
fishformed as each end Is shaped into q tail.
Exact Counterpart of the Original.
The building of the new Viking had been
a matter Of no little responsibility. She was
the exact counterpart Of the original Vik-
ing even to the number Of iron bolts in her
lapstreak hull The cooking utensils were
copied in large part after the pots and pans
found in the old ship. and SO cunning were
the ancient workers in copper that it was
hard to find blacksmiths in Christiania to-
day to copy the designs. The table furni-
ture was not all Of the rude type Of the
old Norseman, however. as was testified
by a number Of photographs Of the china
and silverware with which the ship was
QUILTED.
The Trip Across the Ocean.
The trip of the little vessel down the
coast Of Norway was a continual ovation,
the people coming from fifty miles in the
interior to see her. The voyage over was
not uneventful. Some rough weather was
encountered. but after sleeping in their
clothes for several days, the sailors gained
confidence in their little vessel on weather.
ing a severe storm. and took kindly to the
reindeer hide sleeping bags that had been
provided for them. The rudder on the side
proved an unexpected success, all went
well and the trip was made with only four
days when the regular three meals a day
could not be served and eaten with an ex-
cellent appetite.
The final triumph Of the voyage was
when on crossing the banks, the little Vik-
ing ran abreast Of a fleet Of American
schooners, the best examples of the Ameri-
can boat builders craft in that line. and
beat all but a few Of them on every point
Of the wind. Their trip to Chicago was a
long line of celebrations, and Capt. An
dersen expressed the hope that the friendly
feeling displayed was only typical of the
warm regard in which the two freest ma
tons Of the world should always hold each
other. even as the two flags of Norway and
America were twined together in the deco
rations of the Viking as she lay in the
lagoon at the Chicago fair.
Present to the Geographic Society.
In Connection with the meeting Of the
Washington Geographic Society last night
the presentation Of q valuable work was
made to the society through it's president.
This was an atlas of the Argentine Republic
from the original surveys made by direction
Of the Argentine Institute Of Geography, of
which DR.. D. Estanislao s. Zeballos. min
lister from the Argentine Republic to the
United States,was president. The book was
the personal gift of the minister. In his
letter to Mr.. Hubbard, DR.. Zeballos men,
toned the fact that another member of the
institute at the time the surveys were made
and atlas published was at present in
Washington, Col. D. Jorge Rhode. He IL
connected with the special commission from
the Argentine upon the boundary contro-
versy with Brazil, which is to be submitted
to President Cleveland fo- arbitration. Dr.
Zeballos is determined to make his country
known to the officials and institutions of the
United States, SO far as lies in his power.