Farther, When Wulfsten Went From Haethum, Or Aarhuus
To Truso, He Had Weonothland, That Is Funen, Fionia, Or Fyen To His Right;
And To The Left Were, Langeland, Laeland, Falster, And Sconeg; Together
With Bornholm, Bleking, Moehre, Oeland, And Gotland.
But Wendenland
remained on his right, all the way to the mouth of the Vistula.
[1] Forst. Voy. and Disc. 67.
[2] It appears to me, that the description given by Ohthere, implies,
that Gotland was directly opposite to Sciringes-heal, or to the east.
- E.
[3] Not surely on going southwards, but after he had again turned to the
northwards, after doubling the southern point of Sweden. - E.
[4] This is certainly true during the latter part of his voyage, after
turning round the south end of Sweden, and standing again to the
northward, between Zealand and Fyen; but in coasting down the shore of
Sweden to the south, he must have left Gotland to the left, - E.
SECTION IV.
Voyage of Wulfstan in the Baltic as related to Alfred[1].
Wulfstan said that he sailed from Haethum to Truso[2] in seven days and
nights, the ship being under sail all the time. Weonothland[3] was on his
right; but Langaland, Laeland, Falster, and Sconeg, were on the left, all
of which belong to Dene-mearkan[4]. Burgendaland[5] also, which has a king
of its own, was on the left. After leaving Burgendaland, the islands of
Becinga-eg, Meore, Eowland, and Gotland, were on the left, all of which
belong to Sueon[6], and Weonodland[7] was all the way on the right to the
mouth of the Wisle[8]. This is a very large river, and near it Witland[9],
and Weonodland are situated; the former of which belongs to Estum, and the
Wisle does not run through Weonodland, but through Estmere[10], which lake
is fifteen miles broad. Then runs the Ilfing[11] from the eastwards into
Est-mere, on the banks of which is Truso. The Ilfing flows from Est-land
into the Est-mere from the east, and the Wisle through Weonodland from the
south. The Ilfing, having joined the Wisle, takes its name, and runs to the
west of Estmere, and northward into the sea, where it is called
Wisle-mouth[12].
Est-land is a large track of country, having many towns, in each of which
there is a king. It produces a great quantity of honey, and has abundance
of fish. The kings, and other rich men, drink mares milk, while the poor
people and slaves use only mead[13]. They have many contests among
themselves; and the people of Estum brew no ale, as they have mead in
profusion[14]. There is also a particular custom observed by this nation;
that, when any one dies, the body remains unburnt, with the relations and
friends, for a month or two; and the bodies of kings and nobles remain
longer, according to their respective wealth, sometimes for half a year,
during all which time it is kept in the house, and drinking and sports
continue until the body is consumed[15]. When the body is carried to the
funeral pile, the substance of the deceased, which yet remains, after the
sports and drinking bouts, is divided into five or six heaps, or more,
according to its value. These heaps are placed at the distance of a mile
from each other; the largest heap at the greatest distance from the town,
and the lesser heaps gradually diminishing, so that the smallest heap is
nearest to the town where the dead body lies. Then all are summoned who
have fleet horses, within the distance of five or six miles around, and
they all strive for the substance of the dead person. He who has the
swiftest horse, gains the most distant and largest heap, and the others, in
just proportion, till the whole is won; then every one takes away his
share, as his own property: and owing to this custom, swift horses are in
great request, and extremely dear. When the wealth of the deceased has been
thus exhausted, the body is taken from the house and burnt, together with
the dead man's weapons and clothes; and generally, they expend the whole
wealth of the deceased, by keeping the body so long in the house before it
is burnt, and by these heaps which are carried off by strangers. It is the
custom with the Estum to burn the bodies of all the inhabitants; and if any
one can find a single bone unconsumed, it is a cause of great offence.
These people, also, have the means of producing a very severe cold; by
which, the dead body continues so long above ground without putrefying; and
by means of which, if any one sets a vessel of ale or water in the place,
they contrive that the liquor shall be frozen either in winter or
summer[16].
[1] Alfred's Orosius, by Barrington, p. 16. Langebeck, Scrip. Dan. II. 118-
123. Wulfstan appears to have been a Dane, who had probably become
acquainted with Ohthere, during his maritime expeditions, and had gone
with him to reside in England. - Forst.
[2] There is a lake still called Truso or Drausen, between Elbing and
Prussian Holland, from which, probably, the town here mentioned, which
stood on the Frisch-haf, took its name. - Forst.
[3] It is necessary to distinguish accurately between Weonothland, which is
probably Fuehnen, Funen, or Fionio, now called Fyen; and Weonodland or
Winodland, afterwards Wendenland. - Forst.
[4] Denmark obviously, called simply Dene, in the voyages of Ohthere. - E.
[5] Probably Bornholm. - E.
[6] Called Sueoland in the voyages of Ohthere, is assuredly Sweden, to
which all these islands belong. Becinga-eg, is certainly Bleking; the
l being omitted in transcription, called an island by mistake.
Meore is indisputably the upper and lower Moehre in Smoland; Eowland
is Oeland; and Gotland is doubtless the modern isle of that name.
- Forst.
[7] Weonodland, or Winodland, extends to the mouth of the Vistula; and is
obviously a peculiar and independent country, totally different from
Weonothland, belonging to Denmark.
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