588 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



first carvel ship in the iiortli was the renowned galley built at Bergen 

 in 15G0,' but two Sagas indicate the carvel built. One of them states^ 

 that the beautiful planks of oak were fitted so tight as to represent an 

 appearance as though they were grown together, and the second re- 

 counts the building, in 999, by Olaf Trygvason, at Ladehammer, near 

 Drontheini, ot a ship "which was larger than any ship in the country, 

 and of which the beam knees are still to be seen." This is the cele- 

 brated Long Serpent {Ormen-hin-Lmuie) and an account of it, as given 

 in the Saga, may be of interest.^ 



" The length of keel that rested upon the grass was 74 ells. Thor- 

 berg Shafting was the man's name who was the master builder of the 

 ship; but there were many others besides — some to fell wood, some to 

 shape it, some to make nails, some to carry timber [this division of 

 labor and trades in the building of a vessel equal in length to a frigate 

 of forty guns gives us a very interesting insight into the civilization of 

 the Pagans of the tenth century and of the state of the useful arts 

 among them], and all that was used was of the best. The ship was 

 both long and broad and highsided, and strongly timbered. While 

 they were planking the ship it happened that Thorberg had to go to 

 his farm upon some urgent business, and as he remained there a long 

 time, the ship was planked up on both sides when he came back. In 

 the evening the King went out and Thorberg with him to see how the 

 vessel looked, and everybody said that never was seen so large and so 

 beautiful a ship-of-war. Then the King returned to the town. Early 

 next morning the King again returned to the ship and Thorberg with 

 him. The carpenters were there before them, but all were standing- 

 idle with their arms across. The King asked what was the mat- 

 ter? They said the ship was destroyed, for somebody had gone 

 from stem to stern and cut one deep notch after the other down 

 the one side of the planking. When the King came nearer he saw 

 it was so, and said, with an oath : ' The man shall die who has thus 

 destroyed the vessel out of envy, if he can be discovered, and I shall 

 bestow a great reward on who ever finds him out.' 'I can tell you. 

 King,' said Thorberg, ' who has done this piece of work.' ' I don't 

 think,' replied the King, ' that any one is so likely to find it out as 

 thou art.' Thorberg said, 'I will tell you, King, who did it; I did it 

 myself.' The King said, 'Thou must restore it to all the same con- 

 ditions as before, or thy life shall pay for it.' Then Thorberg went 

 and chipped the planks until the deep notches were all smoothed and 

 made even with the rest; and the King and all present declared that 

 the ship was much handsomer on the side of the hull which Thorberg 

 had chipped, and bade him shape the other side in the same way, and 



' Norske Magas. i, 331, ii, 70. 



•'Sagaof Fridtbjofthe Bold, c. 1. 



-Kiug Olaf Trygvasou Saga, Heimskriugla text, c. xcv. 



