538 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



shire, England, upon the banks of River Ancholnie and about 9 miles 

 south of its juncture with the Hiimber, came upon a huge log which 

 upon examination revealed itself to be an enormous boat, which had 

 found a resting place ujionwhat appears to be the clayey bottom of tlie 

 sloping beach of an ancient lagoon, the clay, as it accumulated, creep- 

 ing into every crevice and gradually covering up tlie entire boat to a 

 depth of 5 J feet below the modern surface level at the bow, and 9 feet 

 at the stern (I?l. lxix). 



The boat is made out of the trunk of an <»ak tree, perfectly straight, 

 as if turned in a lathe; it is 48 feet 8 inches long, 5 feet wide, and 2 feet 

 9 inches deep. The stern end represents the butt en<l of the tree, 

 with a diameter of 5 feet 3 inches; the dimensions, of course, slightly 





Fig. 25. 

 Prow of Briqh Boat. 



sl„.,l by Jlr. William Slevonson, clHull 



diminish towards the prow, which is 4 feet 4 inches, the boat represent- 

 ing about 700 cubic feet contents. In a tree standing, from 4 to G inches 

 should be added for bark and sapwood. This would indicate an enor- 

 mous tree, with a height of about 50 feet to the first branches, that are 

 noticeable on the sides of the prov*', which is rounded off as if intended 

 for a ram (Fig. 2.")). 



Fig. 26. 

 Cavity in Prow. 



( Drawing fu 



i.rilull. E,igl:.ml. ) 



Fig. 27. 

 Bow.sPEiT ( ?) OF Bkigg Boat. 



f From Mr. James Thrnpp's report. ) 



A cavity in the head of the prow (Fig. 26) is supposed to have been 

 intended for the reception of the bowsprit (Fig. 27), for which a piece of 

 crooked oak found near the prow has been taken. In the absence of a 

 mast, or any arrangement which would point to the propulsion of the 

 craft by means of sails, however, such a theory is untenable, notwith- 

 standing the approximate correspondence in diameter of the curved piece 

 of wood with that of the hole. This cavity(Fig. 20) rather appears to have 

 been the result of the hollow of the tree running up there, i. e., up the 

 main stem. The adjoining parts of the prow are cut down on the top 



