576 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



which is the prow and which the stern. It is true that the width of the 

 boat at the fourth rib is a few iiu-hes greater than at the tifteentli, Avhich 

 corresponds to it at the other end; but this ditt'erence is so small that 

 it was probably not intentional, and the boiit has, no doubt, been de- 

 signed to shoot through the waves with equal speed, whichever way it 

 was rowed. The oars were passed through loops of rope tied to the 

 rowlocks, on which the marks of wear by the oars are still quite visible. 



Fig. lUO. 

 Internal A'iew of Stem. 



(Cojiieil frtiiii C. Eiieleharcit '•Denmark in the Enrly Iron Agp."i 



"At the sides, about 10 feet distant from the stern, the rudder (Fig. 

 102) was discovered. Its length is 9 feet 7 inches, and near the middle 

 it has a hole through which a rope may have been passed for the pur- 

 pose of tying it to tlie side of tlu' boat. Just belo\\ this hole tiiere is 



FiG. 101. 

 Rowlock of Xydam Boat. 



(Ccipiivl IroMi C Eneleliardt, •' Denmark m the Early Iron Agn."- 



a little cushion of wood lixed with three wooden pegs, intended to pro- 

 tect the rudder from injury by knocking or getting against the .side of 

 the boat, and at the top there is a loose piece with two handles. 



"The thwarts (Fig. 103) were strengthened by two angular boards 

 underneath (Figs. 104, 105) and supported by three perpendicular pieces 

 of wood. Only in one place, by the middle thwart, these boards were 

 tolerably well preserved, but even there the ends were so soft as not to 

 admit of any very complete examination, and it remains uncertain in 



