The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-05-10

SIreICnSu over III, lOT the CREW SltDL |
on deck and ship tents were necessary
for shelter.
! From the Sagas we learn that the .
aim of every chief was to be power
full at sea. They were born seamen
but were also trained to fight on land. |
Only in very few instances have we
accounts of the Northmen being de- |
fcated at sea by the fleets of the |
countries they attacked. In these |
Instances their combats took place |
with a very small number of vessels |
compared with the feet of the enemy, |
who were either Frisians or their own
people that had settled in England.
Their motto was, "Attack two. with
stand three, and reluctantly abandon |
five"
The Northmen did not start out on
a voyage without a previous know
ledge of the country that they were
going to invade, or sailed without any
definite object. 1t was only after a
thorough knowledge of the geogra
ply of the parts to be attacked
that they vca tured on their invasion.
Their arms of offence were the
sword axe, spear, bow and arrow,
sling, etc. Those of defence were the
coat of mail, the shield and the ham,
let. The weapons are described as
being ornamented and inlaid with
pold and silver. The spear was more
Icommon than the sword for there has
been a greater number of them found.
1t was necessary that such war
like people have laws in regard to
war. The chief whose land was in
vaded chose the battle ground. The
youth was called upon to bear arms
at the age of fifteen. If the country
was in danger he could be called out
at the age of twelve years. The
booty was divided into shares by lot
or choice. Among the laws of the
vikings was one that was not honor
ably observed: it was compact made
! not to plunder a country or 7t+"c'-
man when there was ''tridland
'peaceland). They were obliged "
take an oath that they would not cap
uge during a tempest, or stop to dress
their wounds before battle was
over. The viking customs point to
high code of honor.
Physical training was considered of
the highest Importance. They knew
that it was only by constant exercise
that they would become great war
: riors. 1t gave them great power of
l endurance, insured a good physique.
: They were thus always prepared for
: war. This is the key to the old viking
: character. The art of swimming was
d.. the most important. There were
: men who could swim for miles with
: their armor on or with a companion
on their shoulders.
r The chief gods of the Northmen
/: were Odin, Thor and Frey. In the
: colonies the people dedicated their
4 settlements or lands to the gods. Even
e Christians called upon Thor for help
f in sea voyages and difficulties. A
). stop was put to "viking" when Chris
/ tianity began to take the place of the
religion of Odin in the North. The
Y belief of the Valhalla (the hall of the
y slain by the ancestors of the English
n tribes eXerted a potent influence upon
e the future history of Europe. 1t made
l. the people of the North most power
c.-1 - 81
l. into their minds an utter disregard
e of death and led them to accomplish
e great deeds of valor in their own and
# distant lands. To fall on a battle
# field was held to assure certain en-
e try to Valhalla. This was a sign of
the favor of Odin. This faith was so
G deeply rooted in the minds of the peo-
i pie that it lasted to the end of the
t. Pagan era, or about the twelfth CEN
n tury. Men would sacrifice them
5, selves by throwing themselves from
IL cliffs so that they might be ac-
It ceptable to Odin and go to Valhalla.
In those days of incessant warfare
II the life of the warrior was a magnii-
IS cent drama from beginning to end.
n His death was the closing of a grand
If career, and his entrance into Valhalla,
If the reward for life of bravery, in
st which he showed entire disregard of
r death. and which he often exhibited
d the highest qualities of manhood. AS
le his life was ebbing away he sang the
l. deeds he had accomplished. They
ir buried their dead by the sea that they
n loved so much during their life time
RS and upon which they sailed so often
e The Norsemen discovered and set
n tied Iceland in SCI. About a century
lie later the descendants of these rowing
vikings, animated by the same rest
rs less spirit and love of freedom Sc
lie characteristic of their race, set ou
IN in search of new lands, and discovered
Of Greenland in A. ID. 9S5. Between thu
he year 9S5 and l0ll in the course of thei
IS expeditions from the remote ant
y, rough coasts of the North discovers
sc the great continent of America. Fo
ed centuries these people remained in
ey disputed masters of the sea. In thei
ey case as in the ruling nations of today