The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19
VOYAGES OF VIKINGS.
THE RIVALS or THE CARAVALS or
COLUMBUS.
Model OF the sneEJar-Tho Scandinavian
Vessel which Reeched Chicago by
Sailing From Norway.


ON the grass the vessel 3 keeLi
High above it, gilt and splendid.
Rose the figured mead ierocious,
With IT'S c,est OF steel.
Then they lauIcned her fiom the yes
sels,
In the shiDyard by the sea;
She was tine graudest OF all vessels
Never ship was built In Norway
Half as me as sne
Not the least interesting feature OF the
great NAVAL REVIEW VAS the presence OF
the reproduction OF the oaraveis I'm which
Columbus set forth on his voyage Of dis
covery acrosss the sea of DARKNESS,
and the contrast they presented to the
towering huus Of the majestic war ships
around them made one FUZZY realize the
MAGNITUDE OF the undertaking. within a
few days another and even more interest
ing craft visited us, the model OF one
which sailed IN quest to our shores 4uiy
-.p wears before the great navigator sac
ceeted IN, persuad1ng feFdioeod aud lsa-
hon, tbaf ho was not altogether a
dreamer and that Jar beyond the western
horizon lay tho shores OF another ""ilu-
the coast of Ear C3thay,
Early i'm February last from sHipy aIu
i'm Norway. in the presence OF vast Hulil-
Der OF spectators, was launehlA Ne'9'l
which IS an exact reproduction or an
old Viking Warshir that had lain buried
i'm fbe earth for almost 1000 years, and
me very counterpart of the craft, perhaps
i'm which Left Erikssen, the adventure
some son of Earl Erik the Red reached
America shortly before the close or the
tenth century.
n is an article OF faith among the Nor
yegians that their cOuntrymen discovered
the new world long, long before Coiuh-
bus aud a learned professor oi me Lhl-
versity Of Wisconsin Can honorary mem
Der of the Icelandic Literary Society has
even written 81 bool, ON the subject en-
titled. America Not Discovered 1857 COL
umbus."
Ina accordance with their theory, then,
based on the Old lcelandic sases. the Nor
wegian people have built this vessel Do the
exact likeness Of the model made by the
arcnaeoiOgists from tine OLD 0f'Tinai NiN-
ing shin. discovered in 1850, and which
they have very appropriately named the
Viking.
She flies the old viking flag from
her masthead, and. manned oF the sturdy
seamen OF Norway, has saiied unace'hi-
uapiod by couVoy-as old her ancient pro-
|
York and theEce by way Of the Erie canal
and The lakes 20 Chicago.
In me summer OF 'ol the SNIP. 10 Whcn
the writer was attached, arrived at Chris
tiania. Norway. AID this vsit to the
land where the twilight meets the dawn
was rendered dOubY iutcreatius by the
chance Of personally in Ietuns lhe
strange old craft whose possible history
was stM use tb1gae ei conversation.
Aided By our consul, Mr. q srhard G1de,
himself q prominent member on t1e An-
tiquaran Society and Drumming over with
the old Morse love. We ere ena Dieo 10
examine her 900 our leisure Looking over
some old letters. written at the lime, d
find quite q lengthy account OF this most
interesting relic of antiquity
For centuries there existed rear Sandcf-
jord. not far from Christiania, large
mound on what IS known AS the GoNsJ&dJ
estate. called the "Kiugs mound, which
tradition asciibfd az The burial place of
king. inferred with an bis treasures.
FOR hundreds OF years the s0il on ms
mound has been cultivated, and no At
tempt made 90 learn ils secrets, uulll, ln
the sprlug of ls,u, under the direction OF
the Antiquarian Society Inc work or eA-
cavation was begun and rewarded ny me
discovery Of "a ship in am excellent state of
/ 81
| indeed. of one OF the old Vikings so
famous q thousand years ago. The date
was readily ascertained as or the ninth
century. from the metallic uron) Orna-
ments found. as wei as from the fact thai
| this weird mode OF burial was customary
| az this time.
The wonderfully perfect condition or inc
| ship was due 10 its having been lmpecded
| i'm a layer Of potters ciay-aI except the
! burial chamber-and covered over wan
! moss and tWiss, around and above "Al-H
| the mound was raised.
| Vne general shane Of the ship was quite
| Ike that one or our own life-boats. ahe
WAS eighty feet long and sixteen feei
beam in her widest part while her keei
! OF solid oak. was nearly sIEly-slN ieet ~
| length. and about one foot JIM depth. Al
/ tention has recently been called 10 THESE
| proportious-tve to one, as being those OIL
! the famous ocean greyhound, the late Clty
| Of Paris. but which viii hereafter san
under the Stars and Stripes as the laIla
! showing that those Old fellows "efe N"o9
tars i'm the art Of naval architecture an
/ knew how to build ships as Wen as 10 s'i
| them. A. -.
She was "clinker" built that Is tn'
lower edge OF one strake OF plahhiHs W
tanned the ton Of the next. Her loi.7' ~
lines gaYe her speed and her NIX D0''0''
made her very steady al sea- -,,,,,-t,.
There were sixteen sfraAes OF 49, -.
/ and seventeen frames, placed "D""I 80
! co. mari though curiously enough, h'
| latter were not secured to the Keel Du
were fastened to the plankins Dy "oo .,.,.
/ nails. made frou the roots OF trees l -.
lowest strake OF planking on eaCh 20
cardboard strake) was bolted to the Ae1
with iron bolts. however. -.,
This method did not add 10 the stfehsN
Of the vessel. but It is thought lhdt
made her more elastic ana adueu ~ ~
sueed. To make her vater-tlsht' ne
seams were caulked with COW mar, an
the planking was beautifully piaheu an
rounded off. showing the most careiul "''
! skmfui workmanship.
The ship was propelled by both SANS am
oars A single mast was steppeu "Do.
midships. resting on heavy blocks on oah
which We're supported by tHe i'iil,
There were two OF these blocks, not cor
nected with each other, but Do.h JVii'1d
the frames. The upper block was Gu
AWAY at both ends in the shape or a lsh
tail. whence arose the name OF mast i'9ii'
Through this latter was cut l"i -
/ square hole. and the mast :" ao "r3700 !
IL bv means OF wooden plugs, ana reauli
raised and lowered. the operation Delh
facilitated by means OF a sihall calS'a
found In the forward compartment,
forehold. When in battle or win hea
wind. the mast was lowered and reste
on short upright stanehions a'Hl9s'1s''
The sail was square, and was proDlDl
| ornamented with perpenWcular SUPP
or painted in some fantastic way, do ""
the custom in those days
Through the fourteenth slrahe Oh p'". =.
| vgqr