The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-01-12

Cluub JlldI JDe NIklnB was UUJ tACluSlNe
ly man of nautical habits, but alsC
had well developed faculty to choose
for his home localities where his labor
as husbandman would richly reward
him.
1t is not probable that agriculture, in
the sense in which that word is applied
TO present day methods of tilling the
soil, was practiced by the Viking, though
evidences are not lacking that some oI
the common cereals were grown to q
considerable extent, even at much
earlier date than the one now under
consideration. Barley was probably the
"staple" cereal OF that period in the
Scandinavian countries, but when We
take in consideration that the race oi
people which then, as now, inhabited
Northern Europe, originally came from
that part of the globe of which the rye
is a native it is more than likely the last
named cereal was a well known and ap.
preciated alment. AS my time, and
the Glaciers space | presume, does moi
permit more comprehensive view o.
the man, shall proceed to give short
description of his ship, as we saw II in
the museum of Archaeology at Christ
lana.
Near the small town and watering
place Of Sandefjord, situated at the
west side of the mouth of the Christ
lana ford, lies the village of Gokstad,
not far from the coast. Here was a
large mound known throughout the dis.
trict by the name Of Kongshaugen, (the
kings mound), where king accord
ing to traditions, was buried with all
| his treasures.
On the strength Of this tradition the
inhabitants OF the place began to exca-
vate the mound early in the year 1880. The
work was soon put stop to by order of
the Antiquarian society, which desired
to make a thorough investigation of the
mound on its own account This work was
commenced in the summer of 1880, and
superintended by the Antiquarian so
cety. 1t was soon ascertained that a
discovery of unusual interest was being
made, las the mound was found to contain
tomb in a ship in state of excellent
preservation, thanks to the potter's clay
in which the ship had been imbede6 to
depth of about four feet, and around
Thich the bottom of the mound had
|
been thrown up.
In two months the vessel was success
fully excavated, put aboard large
barge and towed to Christiana. The
vessels length of keel is GO feet five
inches and 1871 feet between stem and
stern posts, outside measure. In the
middle it is nearly II feet wide and is
therefore remarkably sharp, and has a
fine run. Its length is considerable in
proportion to its width, more so than
on the modern coasting vessels in Nor
way.
It's sharp build, with its considerable
length of keel, undoubtedly made her a
fast sailor and the fiat bottom very
steady boat at sea. 1t is clinch built of
oak, l6 strakes high. The II frames
which are set three feet apart on the
keel run only up to the l1th strake at
which point the beams are fastened and
Joined to the ships sides by knees. The
seams are cauIked with three-thread
l yss'1t- pI',stI- Of -0Ou-p ifuiI'
The ship had been made both orIsail.
ing and rowing. About midship is
placed q keelson for the mast to rest
upon, There is plain capstan in the
forehold, which, no doubt, served to
raise and lower the mast as well as to
hoist the anchor The mast was prob.
ably fitted with yard and large sail.
a few spars were found on board the
vessel OF which one undoubtedly is a
yard, another the top part Of the mast.
That the ship was propelled by oars
as we'll is proved by the existing oars,
and likewise by the openings for them
made in the third strake from above.
There are l6 such openings on each side
and the strake in which they are made
IS somewhat thicker than the rest.
There is an incision in the afterpart OF
the opening for the blade to pass through
when the oars were to be used. -Four
we'll preserved shields and fragments Of
many others were found along both the
water ways, showing that the ship when
buried, as at other times when adorned
for festive occasions, had been decorat.
cd with shields on both sides. The
shields appeared to have been painted
alternately yellow and black.
There is an erection of timber in the
middle of the ship, this is the sepulchral
chamber That this lofty part in the
middle, projecting from the potter's
clay, has been preserved, is owing to
its having peen built of huge blocks OF
timber and covered with several layers
of birch-bark The timbers of the sep
ulchral chamber are placed like roof
against roof tree, the lower ends rest
ing on timbers placed alongside the
| the bulwarks.
Inside Of the sepulchral chamber were
found relics of the tomb itself. They
are, however, nothing but fragments,
the sepulChral chamber having been
plundered in bygone years. The Scan
dinavian Sagas frequently tell of break
ing into old mounds in the time when
Paganism was on the verge of decay
Owing to this plunder everything was
found in a confused heap and only a
few fragments were left OF the costly
weapons and trinkets which had &C.
companied the buried chief to his grave
The ship evidently had been an open
vessel. Under certain circumstances
it may, however, have been covered
with some sort OF cloth. A few pieces
OF homespm, which were found are, no
doubt, remnants of tent There are
small square holes all along inside the
water way, which would indicate that
nearly the whole length OF the ship may
have at times been covered with tent,
and the above mentioned holes utilized
for fastening the lower edge. Some
panks with horses heads carved on
them and made to fit in each other
have served as tent poles. The sepul-
chral chamber may be said to have been
made in the shape of such tent, only
framed of more solid material. 1t has
been calculated that the ship had
crew of 40 hands. Fully equipped it
has had a draft of nearly five feet,
and the waterway would then have been
about three feet above the water. The
vessels carrying capacity was about 80
tons.
On the starboard quarter is the rud-
der in its original position. 1t has the
shape of the blade of large oar and has
at the upper end been fitted with tiller
pointing athwartship. 1t is secured to
large clamp by a thick rope and so ar
ranged that il cOuld be lifted when the