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diff --git a/63851-0.txt b/63851-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..36cea74 --- /dev/null +++ b/63851-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6231 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of 'Gamle Norge': Rambles and Scrambles in +Norway, by Robert Taylor Pritchett + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: 'Gamle Norge': Rambles and Scrambles in Norway + +Author: Robert Taylor Pritchett + +Release Date: November 22, 2020 [EBook #63851] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GAMLE NORGE: RAMBLES AND SCRAMBLES *** + + + + +Produced by Charlene Taylor, Bryan Ness, Robert Tonsing +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian +Libraries) + + + + + + + + + + “GAMLE NORGE” + RAMBLES AND SCRAMBLES + IN + NORWAY + + BY ROBERT TAYLOR PRITCHETT + + _WITH MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ILLUSTRATIONS_ + + [Illustration] + + LONDON + VIRTUE & CO., LIMITED, 26, IVY LANE + PATERNOSTER ROW + 1879 + + _The Engravings in this Work have been executed by Messrs._ J. + & G. NICHOLLS, _under the personal supervision of the Artist._ + + [Illustration: _The Meal Mill: Isterdal._] + + + + + PREFACE. + + +The object of the present work is to bring before the notice of the +general reader and tourist the advantages and pleasure accruing from +a few weeks’ sojourn among the mountains and fjords of that grand yet +simple country, Norway. Everywhere abounding with features of interest, +it will especially commend itself to the Englishman when he calls to +mind how close was the link between the Scandinavians and his ancestors. + +To travel profitably it is not sufficient merely to notice or admire +scenic effects. Men and manners should also be closely observed; and +no object or detail, however trivial, should be neglected or deemed +beneath regard. Norway presents a wide field for observation and +research, whatever may be the tastes and predilections of the visitor. +Here may the geologist, if so disposed, find ample material for study; +the archæologist and antiquarian may revel among Runic stones, Viking +tumuli, rites and ceremonies, quaint wood-carvings adorned with the +ever-twining serpent, costumes, customs, &c.; the keenest sportsman +will find a treat in store for him; while the lover of the grand in +nature and of simple rustic life will meet with them here to his +heart’s content. But to do this the main roads and cities must be +abandoned for the mountains and fjelds, with their reindeer tracts and +trout streams. + +To the Fjeld, then, to the Fjeld! with its beautiful flora and mosses, +its sport, its avalanches and landslips, its balmy air and soothing +zephyrs. To the Fjeld—off to the Fjeld! + + R. T. P. + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + I.—CHRISTIANSAND AND CHRISTIANIA. + + PAGE + + GAMLE NORGE—AN EARLY MURRAY—UNEXPLORED STATE OF THE + COUNTRY—THE PIONEERS OF SPORT—CROSSING THE NORTH + SEA—NOT THEN AS NOW—CONTENT OF THE PEASANTS—CHARM OF + THE FJELD—CHRISTIANSAND—CHRISTIANIA—THE EMIGRANT’S + VICISSITUDES—THE VICTORIA HOTEL AND OSCAR HALL 3 + + + II.—THELEMARKEN. + + LYSTHUS—COMPONENT PARTS OF TRAVEL—HITTERDAL CHURCH—THE + CHAIR—THE CAMP AT SKEJE—FLATDAL—RELICS OF THE PAST—THE + ASTONISHED MAGPIE AND UNKNOWN MUSIC—THE COSTUMES OF + THELEMARKEN—THE “HULDRE”—THE BEAUTIFUL TROLD—BERGE AND + THE MANGLETRÆ—MOGEN—THE PLOUGH, REIN HORNS, AND SNOW + SHOES—BOCKLEY AND PUKKINGS—BLACK-BROWN BEER—JAMSGAARD—A + NIGHT IN THE LAAVE—CAMP BEDS AND HAMMOCK—BOTTEN—NEW + ROAD-MAKING—WEIRD SCOTCH FIRS—A BLASTED FOREST 19 + + + III.—HARDANGER. + + HAUKELID—SLAUGHTER OF REINDEER IN A BOTTEN—THE BROKEN + BRIDGE—THE FORD—USEFUL OLD PONY—THE ASCENT—ROLDAL VALLEY + AND BRIDGE—THE LENSMAND—FLORA AND LONG TRAMP—DOUBLE SOLAR + RAINBOW—SNOW SHOES—GRÖNDAL AND DISTANT FOLGEFOND—ZIGZAG + ROAD—SELJESTAD—NO FOOD, BUT A GOOD PONY—GRÖNDAL + WATERFALLS—SANDEN VAND—THE LATE ARRIVAL AT ODDE 41 + + + IV.—BERGEN AND ARCHÆOLOGY. + + FROM ODDE DOWN SÖR FJORD—UTNE—HARDANGER FJORD—FAIRY + TROLDS—BJERG TROLDS—THE HULDRE—THE NÖKKEN—THE + NISSER—HAUGE FOLKET—TUFTI FOLKET—THE DRANGEN—CRACA, THE + WITCH OF NORWAY—OLAF KYRRE, THE NORSE KING—BERGEN—THE + HANSEATIC LEAGUE—THE GERMAN MERCHANTS—THE “PFEFFER + JUNKERS”—THE FISH FOLK OF BERGEN—THE MUSEUM—STRAX—THE + SILDE KONGE—NORWEGIAN WHALE SKELETONS—THE FLINT + PERIOD—BRONZE PERIOD—INHUMATION AND CINERATION—ROMAN + INFLUENCE—THE IRON PERIOD—ARCHÆOLOGICAL PERIODS IN NORWAY 53 + + + V.—WEST COAST AND NORDFJORD. + + COAST TRAVELLING—BERGEN HARBOUR—THE SCHOONER YACHT—SKAALS + OVERDONE—WEST COAST—STEENSUND—ALDEN—OUSEN AND + ITS GARDEN ROOFS—EN ROUTE FOR SANDE—DELIGHTFUL + STATION—GOOD FISH—JOLSTER VAND AND NEDRE VASENDEN—THE + ANXIOUS BATHER—PICTURESQUE CHURCH-GOING—NORWEGIAN + BLAKKEN—THE ACCIDENT—THE FRIENDLY TOILETTE—COSTUMES + AND BABY SWADDLING—SCARCITY OF FOOD—THE TENTMASTER + COOKING—NORDFJORD ANTIQUITIES—PROFESSOR WORSAAE AND + M. LORANGE—CONTENTS OF TUMULUS—THE VIKINGS’ GAME OF + “MYLLA”—UDVIG—THE BAD PASS FROM MOLDESTADT—SNOW POLES—THE + POSTMAN AND BIRCH BOUGHS—BIRTHDAY FESTIVITIES—FALEIDET—LYTH + FISHING—HAUGEN AND HORNINGDALSKRAKKEN—HELLESYLT—BELTS—THE + GEIRANGER FJORD—CAPTAIN DAHL—THE SEVEN SISTERS—THE VIKING’S + HEAD—THE PULPIT—MARAAK—STORFJORD 73 + + + VI.—MOLDE AND ROMSDAL. + + MOLDE—THE GOOD SHIP “TASSO”—STATLAND—AALESUND—MOLDE + LANDING—HERR BUCK—THE LOVE OF FLOWERS AT MOLDE—THE LEPER + HOUSE—MOLDE TO VEBLUNGSNÆS—THE BEAR AND THE PIGE—ROMSDAL + FJORD—AAK—THE RAUMA—THE OLD CHURCH OF GRYTEN—THE + CANDELABRA—HERR ONSUM—NÆSS—THE SKYD-GUT—THE SAIL WITH SEA + ROVERS—THE INEBRIATED BAKER OF WHITE BREAD—OLE LARSEN—THE + LAAVE—HERR LANDMARK AND THE HOTEL AT AAK—KJERULF THE + COMPOSER—THE ROMSDAL HORN—THE TROLTINDERNE—FIVA—THE + MEAL HOUSE—THE STEEN-SKREED—THE SOLGANG WIND—THE SHEEP + BOY AND GOAT HORN—SEA-FISHING—WOODWORK—CARRIOLES—HOW TO + CROSS A RIVER—OLD KYLE—MØLMEN CHURCH, AND THE SLEEPER’S + CURE—FLIES—SALMON-FISHING FROM A TINE 101 + + + VII.—THE FJELD AND REINDEER. + + OPENING DAY FOR REINDEER—AALESUND—AURORA + BOREALIS—INQUIRING FRIENDS—BERRY VARIETIES—TO THE + FJELD—NECESSARIES—REINDEER-FLOWERS—TO THE TENTS—THE + DOGGIES—DANJEL AND OLE—MØLMEN—THE ARRIVAL—OUR + CONCERT—PTARMIGAN—REINDEER SPÖR—TROUT-FISHING IN THE + VAND—GOOD SPORT—THE TENTMASTER’S STORY—PASSOP AND THE + STOR BUCK—SNOW-WORK—SÆTER LIFE—MARITZ’S LONELY STATE—HER + KINDLINESS—THE SWIZZLE-STICK—THE OLD BOAT—THE EAGLE AND + NEST—REINDEER AND RED DEER HEADS—THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING + THEM—INDFJORD—OLE ERIKSON BOE—HALVE JACOBSEN—INGEBORG + AND THE STEEN-SKREED—INGRANA’S ACCOUNT—INGEBORG’S + FUNERAL—RUNICSTONE—GRAVE-BOARDS—ISTERDAL—THE + MEAL-MILL—OLD KYLE—A SIMPLE-MINDED COW—OLE + FIVA—AIGUILLES—VALDAL—THE SOURCE OF THE ISTER—EXPEDITION + TO A FROZEN LAKE 137 + + VIII.—CEREMONIES, WEDDINGS, ETC. + + WEDDINGS—COSTUME—THE PROCESSION TO THE + CHURCH—THE BRIDE’S RETURN—MOTTOES—BETROTHAL + AND MARRIAGE—CONFIRMATION—FUNERALS THEIR “ONLY + ONE”—GRAVE-BOARD INSCRIPTIONS—HOME LIFE—ANTIPATHY + TO VENTILATION—NEW CURRENCY—GEOLOGY—VARIATIONS IN + TEMPERATURE—WATERFALLS—POPULATION—WOOD-CARVING—OLD SILVER 191 + + [Illustration] + + + + + LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. + + PAGE + THE MEAL MILL: ISTERDAL Frontispiece + THE COURTYARD, VICTORIA HOTEL, CHRISTIANIA 11 + A TIMBER SHOOT 13 + KONGSBERG: THELEMARKEN 23 + HITTERDAL CHURCH: SUNDAY MORNING 27 + FLATDAL: THELEMARKEN 31 + JAMSGAARD LAAVE 37 + THE WOODEN BRIDGE AT ROLDAL 43 + SKJÆGGEDAL FOS 47 + BERGEN 58 + BERGEN: FISH MARKET IN THE DISTANCE 59 + THE VILLAGE AND CHURCH OF ALVA 75 + THE FRIENDLY TOILETTE 81 + SANOE, LOOKING DOWN THE VALLEY 83 + BRONZE BOWL, WITH ENAMEL CASE, SWORDS OF VIKING PERIOD: BERGEN + MUSEUM 84 + THE POST ARRIVING AT UDVIG 87 + HELLESYLT 96 + THE GEIRANGER FJORD: SEVEN SISTERS FALL 97 + VEBLUNGSNÆS: ROMSDAL 109 + THE TROLTINDERNE BY MOONLIGHT 119 + ROMSDAL SNOW 123 + MAKING FOR THE FJORD 124 + INTERIOR OF MØLMEN CHURCH 129 + NEAR OVENDAL: AFTER REINDEER 145 + THE STIGE-STEEN, OR LADDER ROCK 161 + VOLDA 171 + SYLTEBØ: WITH FARM IMPLEMENTS 172 + LANDSLIP AT SYLBOTTEN: INDFJORD 179 + RUNIC STONE, WITH INSCRIPTION, NEAR INDFJORD 180 + THE GRAVESTED: INGEBORG’S FUNERAL, INDFJORD 181 + THE HEAD OF THE VALLEY: ISTERDAL 185 + A BRIDAL PARTY CROSSING THE FJORD 193 + THE BRIDE’S RETURN BY WATER 194 + RETURN FROM THE CHRISTENING 198 + THEIR “ONLY ONE” 200 + + + ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT. + + PAGE + Tyssestrængene Fos 3 + Christiansand 7 + Christiania 12 + Hour Glasses 19 + Norwegian Carved Lintels 20 + Carved House in Thelemarken 21 + Carved Houses, Bru, Thelemarken 22 + The Raft Boat: Thelemarken 25 + Porch at Hitterdal: Thelemarken 28 + Chair in Hitterdal Church 29 + Smoking the Cows: Thelemarken 36 + The Mangletræ 37 + Seljestad 42 + Odde: Hardanger 44 + Odde: Hardanger 46 + Buerbræ Glacier 48 + The Spring Dance: Hardanger 49 + The Market: Bergen 54 + Rosendal 55 + Church Candlestand: Bergen Museum 62 + Knife-stone on Bronze Belt: Bergen Museum 63 + Hard Schist Implements: North Cape 64 + Sword and Bracelet: Bergen Museum 65 + Rowlock Knot of Birch-stones and Viking Rowlock 65 + Sword Handle: Bergen Museum 66 + Arrow Heads and Sword Handle: Bergen Museum 67 + Ousen 76 + The Island of Alden 77 + Nordfjord Peasants 78 + Norwegian Plough 80 + The Lych Gate, Nordfjord 82 + The Pass: Moldestadt 86 + Postman and his Carriole 87 + The Saw-Mill: Udvig 88 + Faleidet: Nordfjord 89 + The Olden River 90 + Lyth Fishing 91 + Haugen, near Hellesylt 94 + The Horningdalskrakken, near Haugen 95 + Breen-stok, or Bucket for Sharpening Stone 97 + The Landing-place: Molde 102 + Molde, from above the Town 103 + Sea Warehouse: Molde 104 + The Flower Market: Molde 105 + The Churchyard: Molde 106 + The Coast Inspector 108 + Carriole crossing a River 111 + Næss 112 + Ole Larsen, our Shoemaker 114 + The Farm at Aak 116 + Meal House: Fiva, Romsdal 120 + The Laave at Fiva: Romsdal 121 + Rauma River Boat 122 + Sheep Boy’s Horn 123 + Shipping a Carriole 127 + Grave-board, Mølmen Churchyard 128 + A Norwegian Salmon Stage 131 + Hardanger 132 + Powder Flask, &c. 137 + Snow Plough 139 + Snow Pass: Thorbvu 142 + After Sport 144 + An Anxious Moment 145 + Thorbvu: Encamping 146 + Easing down the Patriarch 147 + The Gralloch 148 + Maritz Sæter 149 + A Friend in Need 152 + The Eagle’s Nest 153 + Reindeer Head 154 + Red Deer Head 155 + Worm Box 159 + Fresh Fish al Fresco 160 + Casting 162 + A Good Beginning 163 + Wool Holder 166 + Reeb Holder 168 + Eikesdal 170 + Looking across Indfjord 176 + The Halt at Griseth 177 + Spinning in the Sæter: Isterdal 184 + Melting Glacier over Valdal 186 + Church Axe 187 + Bridal Crown 192 + The Wedding 193 + Drinking Horn 194 + Before the Wedding 196 + The Arrival at Home 197 + Hitterdal Church 198 + The Funeral: Bergen 199 + The Stolkjær and Boat 200 + Sledging 203 + The Gentle Reproof 204 + Stabur and Wooden Tankards 208 + Costume of Lutheran Priest of Norway 210 + + + + + I. + CHRISTIANSAND AND CHRISTIANIA. + + GAMLE NORGE—AN EARLY MURRAY—UNEXPLORED STATE OF THE + COUNTRY—THE PIONEERS OF SPORT—CROSSING THE NORTH + SEA—NOT THEN AS NOW—CONTENT OF THE PEASANTS—CHARM OF + THE FJELD—CHRISTIANSAND—CHRISTIANIA—THE EMIGRANT’S + VICISSITUDES—THE VICTORIA HOTEL AND OSCAR HALL. + + +[Dropcap caption: _Tyssestrængene Fos._] + +For comparatively few years has Norway received any attention from +the travelling public. The beauty and grandeur of the country and the +simple habits of the people were known to but few, and only heard of +occasionally from some energetic salmon fisher who preferred outdoor +life, good sport, plain food, and vigorous health to the constant +whirl of advanced civilisation, busy cities, over-crowded _soirées_, +high-pressure dinners, and the general hurry-skurry of modern life. +The words “Gamle Norge,” or old Norway, while exciting the greatest +enthusiasm in Norway itself, rejoice the heart not only of many an +Englishman who has become practically acquainted with its charms, +but of those who, having heard of them, long to go and judge for +themselves. Nor is the expression of modern introduction; it was +evidently well known in the sixteenth century, as our immortal bard +alludes to it in _Hamlet_. + +Forty-five years ago Norway and its salmon fisheries were unknown +luxuries. Even as late as 1839 Murray published a post-octavo Handbook +for Travellers in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, in the preface to which +occur the subjoined passages:— + +“The principal object of the following pages is to afford such of my +travelling countrymen as are disposed to quit the more beaten paths +of Southern Europe, and explore the less known, but equally romantic, +regions of the north, some useful information as to time and distance, +which at present they can only obtain by time and experience. Beyond +Hamburg all is unknown land; no guide-book contains any account of the +Baltic steamboats, still less of the means of travelling, either by +land or water, in the more distant lands of Norway and Sweden. At the +steam-packet offices in London you may learn that an English steamer +sails three times a month from Lubec to Stockholm, but no further +information can be obtained. + + • • • • • + +“Unless the weather is unusually stormy, and the passage of the +vessel has consequently been delayed, the steamer remains in the +outer harbour, called Klippen, for four or five hours; enabling the +passengers who are going straight to Norway to inspect the city, +which is well worth seeing. A miniature steamboat, the smallest I +have ever seen, conveys you from the quay, at which the larger vessel +remains moored, up the long harbour to the town itself, the journey +occupying about half-an-hour. In the afternoon the _Constitution_ +continues her voyage, stretching much further out to sea, in crossing +the Skager Rack, until, at an early hour the next morning, you reach +Frederiksværn, the principal arsenal of Norway, situated at the +entrance of the winding fjord of Christiania. From this place a smaller +coasting steamboat conveys the passengers to Christiania, touching, in +its passage up the Christiania fjord, at the various small towns and +villages on either shore. + + • • • • • + +“Steam vessels have for the last two or three years plied between +Christiania and Frederiksværn and Bergen, but their times of leaving +have hitherto been very irregular; beyond Bergen I am not aware that +any regular communication has hitherto been projected. + + • • • • • + +“No traveller has any business to intrude among the mountain fastnesses +of Norway, unless he can not only endure a fair proportion of bodily +fatigue, but can likewise put up with accommodations of the coarsest +description. As far as Christiania this, of course, does not apply: the +transport thither is by a comfortable steamboat, and the Hôtel du Nord +sufficiently good to satisfy any man; but when you attempt to penetrate +into the bowels of the land the case is different. + + • • • • • + +“The Norsemen are strict Lutherans; scarcely an individual is to be +met with professing any other creed, and no place of worship of any +other kind exists in Norway. No Jew is allowed to set foot in Norway—a +strange law in this free country. It has often struck me as a curious +anomaly, that in the free cities of the Continent these unhappy +outcasts were far worse treated than under many despotic governments. +Commercial jealousy in a great measure accounts for this enmity in a +city of merchants, but in a poor and thinly-populated country like +Norway this motive could have no weight. I have been unable to learn +from what cause the exclusion originated, though it is said to have +originated from some idle fear that they would possess themselves of +the produce of the silver mines at Kongsberg; but it is certainly a +most startling fact that the freest people on earth should cling with +such watchful jealousy to one of the most illiberal and inhuman laws +that can be conceived.” + +Soon after this our real sport-lovers began to discover the charms of +Norway, Sir Hyde Parker, Sir Richard Sutton, and Lionel James leading +the van; and within the space of forty years the transition has taken +place from free fishing and shooting to the Scotch system of letting +moors—a state of things that would astonish Forrester and Biddulph, +whose work on Norway has now become historical and of the greatest +interest. Forrester begins thus (A.D. 1834):—“Eight days in +the North Sea, beating against foul winds, or, which was still worse, +becalmed amongst fleets of Dutch fishing-boats, and ending in a regular +gale of wind, which was worst of all, prepared us to hail the sight +of land, and that of the coast of Norway.” This passage was made in a +little Norwegian schooner, bound from Gravesend to the south of Norway. + +How different is it now! Thanks to Messrs. Wilson, steamers take us +thither almost to the hour, unless, indeed, the clerk of the weather +should connive with old Neptune to teach us a lesson, by reminding us +that the elements are not yet to be ordered about entirely as we like. +English visitors commenced about 1824; Lord Lothian, Lord Clanwilliam, +and Lord H. Kerr, 1827; Marquis of Hastings, 1829; and in 1830 we +have Elliott’s account of Norway. Those were early days, when the +_bönder_ were astonished, and could hardly believe their own eyes, when +Englishmen went down with a piece of thread and a kind of coach-whip +to kill a salmon of thirty pounds; or, again, when the first flying +shot opened a new world to them. Those were the times when members of +the Storthing (or Parliament) appeared in the costume of their own +district, with belts, tolle-knives, &c. They were not so eager to grasp +at civilisation as the Japanese, who simultaneously took to elastic +boots, tall black hats, and the English language within a year. No; +they are a contented people, with no desire for change, or to have it +thrust upon them, until they discover that they can make money of the +delighted foreigner, who, elevated by the grandeur of the mountain +scenery, grows more warm-hearted, kind, and generous than ever. Then +the Norseman becomes rabid and exacting; but the provinces (thank +Heaven!) still preserve their primitive simplicity. + +Let us, then, hasten to these happy hunting-grounds. The fjeld life +will blow all the smoke out of us, and if we love nature we can store +up health and purity of thought, and bring back concentrated food for +happy reflection, should we be spared to a good old age. How such +reminiscences will then come out, brightened by the fact that all the +petty _désagréments_ of travel have been forgotten as they receded +in the past! We need not enlarge on the pleasures of anticipation, +the punctual meeting at the railway station, the satisfaction of +knowing that nothing has been omitted or left behind—a congratulation +sometimes a little blighted by the discovery that some one, after +ransacking everything, cannot find his breech-loader or cartridge +cases, or that some one else has left his pet “butchers” or “blue +doctors” on his dressing-table. Should such mischances occur, they +are soon dissipated in the general atmosphere of enjoyment and +anticipation, assisted by the thought that it is of no use losing +one’s temper, as it is sure to be found again, and the temporary loss +of it grieves one’s friends unnecessarily, to say nothing of personal +discomfort. Happy thought—always leave your ill-temper at home; or, +better still, do not have one: it is not a home comfort. + +[Illustration: _Christiansand._] + +The first port touched _en route_ for the capital of Norway is +Christiansand, which is snugly hidden in the extreme south of the +district of Sætersdalen—that land of eccentricity in costume and +quaintness of habitation, of short waists and long trousers reaching to +the shoulders, above which come the shallow, baby-looking jackets. With +what zest does one strain for the first peep at a seaport of a foreign +land! What value is attached to the earliest indication of varying +costume, or even a new form of chimney! The steamer from Hull generally +arrives at Christiansand on Sunday, when it is looking its neatest, the +white tower of the church shining over the wooden houses of the town, +the Norwegian shipping all in repose, with the exception, perhaps, of +the heavy, compressed, Noah’s ark kind of dumpy barges, or a customs’ +gig containing some official. As we looked up at the church tower we +could not but wonder if we should hear, during our short visit, the +whistle of the “Vægter;” for tradition says that, for the protection +of the place, a watchman is always on the look-out, ready to give the +alarm should a fire break out in the town, which, being built almost +entirely of wood, would soon be reduced to a heap of ashes. But no; we +heard no whistle, not even a rehearsal. _On dit_ that for three hundred +years has the Vægter looked out afar, and no alarum has issued from the +tower. Christiansand has been mercifully preserved from fire, and long +may it be so! + +During the passage over a friend told me of a Norwegian he once met +on board. He was a Christiansander. The Norseman was in high glee, +and, having entered into conversation with my friend, soon proposed a +_skaal_ (health). This achieved, the story of the Norseman began to +run rapidly off the reel, and it is so characteristic of the people +that we cannot do better than repeat it here. Born at Christiansand, +at the age of sixteen Lars became restless, wanted to see America, and +make his way in life, for which there was not much scope in the small +seaport. Lars’s father and mother were then living, with one daughter, +who would take care of them whilst he started for the battle-field +of life. He therefore determined to go. On his arrival in America he +had a terrible struggle for existence, there being so many emigrants +of all nations and classes. After patient endurance he began to get +on, and saved sufficient to go to Chicago and California. During this +time of trial how he thought about the chimes from the old white +tower, the Vægter, and the fair-haired sister he had left behind, and +wondered if all were well with the old people! At San Francisco he +did pretty well for some time; but hearing one day that at Yokohama, +in Japan, there was a good opening for a supply of butter (_smör_), +his Norske associations were aroused, and his thoughts ran back to +_sæters_, _piger_, cows, cream, and green pastures. That was the thing +for Lars. So off he started for Yokohama, and having established a +lucrative butter business, he determined to write home and send some +money to his father and mother. This was a great pleasure to the +kind-hearted fellow, while their answer assured him of the joy of those +whom he had left behind on hearing of his safety and success, and +receiving such a token of filial love. But the associations of home +and childhood are strong, and it was not long before he experienced +a desire to return. At length, however, he decided on developing the +butter trade still further, and then, having a good offer to go back +to San Francisco, he sold the whole business and good-will for a good +round sum, and started on a new career, which this time took the form +of brewing. How Norwegian! what national items!—butter (_smör_) and +ale (_öl_). Again Lars was successful, and derived much comfort from +the fact that he was thereby enabled to enhance the home happiness at +Christiansand. Happy the son who comforts a father! Happy the paternal +old age cherished by a son’s love! Beer, or rather ale, became the +basis of a lucrative business. Lars, however, speedily discovered that +bottled ale was the leading article to make the concern pay largely. +But bottles were the difficulty; they were expensive items, and not +manufactured in San Francisco. Lars often thought over this problem, +which his partner, likewise, was unable to solve. Luckily one evening +the good Norseman—he must have been indulging in a quiet pipe—had +a happy thought. While musing over his early days the bottle-makers +of Christiansand passed before him. He at once decided on making +arrangements for visiting the old seaport, and, having seen those +most dear to him on earth, to bring a bottle manufacturer back with +him, thus combining business with pleasure. This is the yarn he told +my friend, and when they entered the harbour poor Lars’s anxiety was +intense. He had telegraphed to say that he was coming, and expected +some one to meet and welcome him. During his absence he had heard +that his sister had married happily, and that the son-in-law was very +kind to his father; so Lars’s mind was set at rest. A boat neared the +steamer, in the stern-sheets of which sat an aged man, a fair-haired +Norseman rowing him. The old man was Lars’s father, who was soon on +deck looking round, but he could not see his boy. At last, however, he +spied him, and, throwing his arms round his neck, was fairly overcome +with joy. On recovering, the old gentleman began a good flow of Norske, +when poor Lars for the first time realised how long he had been away; +for, like the Claimant, he could not remember his native language, and +it was some time before either of them thought of landing. Meanwhile, +we heartily wish the good Lars increased success. May his bottles be +manufactured on the spot, and his good _öl_ cheer the heart without +muddling the brain! + +When _we_ entered Christiansand _we_ also looked out for a boat; for +Hans Luther Jordhoy had come down from Gudbransdalen to meet us, and +was soon on board. A closely knit frame, fair beard, moderate stature, +and kindly eye—there stood our future companion before us. Our first +impressions were never disturbed; he had very good points, and has +afforded us many pleasing associations in connection with our visit to +Norge. + +As we steamed out of the harbour of Christiansand we met a passenger +coast steamer coming in—one of those innumerable small screw steamers +which run in and out of every fjord from Cape Lindesnæs to the North +Cape. Are their names not written in _Norges Communicationer_, the +Norwegian _Bradshaw_? The kindly feeling of the Norwegians towards the +English was at once manifest, for no sooner did the brass band on board +the excursion boat recognise our nationality than it struck up “God +save the Queen.” We quite regretted that we had no band to return the +compliment, and the only thing left for us was to give them a hearty +cheer. + +This done, we started on our run to Christiania, with comparatively +smooth water, a lovely evening, a prolonged _crepusculum_, and, +late in the evening, a sweet little French song, sung with the most +delightful simplicity by a lady. “Petites Fleurs des Bois” is indelibly +impressed on the mind of the Patriarch. When it afterwards became known +that we were indebted to an English bride for such a treat—which +it really was—the bachelors whispered “A happy bond of union!” but +considered, at the same time, that Norwegian travelling was scarcely +made on purpose for honeymooning. Take carrioles, for instance, or the +jolting _stolkjærre_, in which the bride might sometimes find herself +unceremoniously thrown into the lap of the bridegroom, or _vice versâ_. +No; unless the lady is familiar with the manners, customs, and petty +inconveniences attendant on travelling in Norway, that country will not +prove the happy hunting-ground for honeymoons. + +[Illustration: _The Courtyard, Victoria Hotel, Christiania._] + +The whole of the Christiania fjord is both grand and immense. A +decided flutter takes place on board when the town is in sight, and +preparations are made for disembarkation. Hans Luther had by this +time made a personal acquaintance with our luggage, and went to the +Custom House, whither we were soon sent for. Among our possessions +were discovered certain condiments and preserved provisions unknown to +the officials, one item especially—pea soup in powder. On our arrival +we suggested that the unusual product should be tasted. To this the +official at first demurred, but ultimately yielded. Unfortunately, +at the very moment of putting the powder to his lips, he drew a long +breath, which sent the dry powdered pea soup down the wrong way. +However, after a time he recovered, when doubtlessly he registered a +mental vow never, never again to taste any foreign importation. + +We were soon at the Victoria Hotel, with its quaint courtyard, with +galleries running round it, excessively tame pigeons hopping and +perching on all sides, and a reindeer head nailed to the woodwork. +During the tourist season a large marquee is erected in the centre of +this courtyard for _tables d’hôte_ and extra meals. In the meantime we +hurried to our rooms, longing to be out in a boat for a general view of +the city. A few extras were, however, requisite before starting in real +earnest, amongst which were two rifle slings. These had to be made, +and are referred to here because they were the means of initiating us +into one of the customs of the place. The leather slings were well +made, but the price was most _tolky_ (exorbitant). This led to a mild +remonstrance, upon which the saddler wrote us a remarkable letter, +which it is a pity we cannot present _verbatim_. It was to the effect +that the saddler was happy to serve us well, but thinking we were +English gentlemen, he imagined we should prefer giving English prices. +However, if we merely wished to pay in accordance with the Norwegian +tariff, it would only be so much, which was precisely the amount we did +pay. + +Christiania has a population of about seventy thousand, and owes +its modern appearance to the destruction of the old town by fire. +Nowadays the suburbs extend widely all round it, while to the westward +villas reach almost to Oscar’s Hall, an object of interest distinctly +visible both from the town and the fortress, being only about four +miles distant by land, and half that amount by water. The villa, +with its high tower, is the property of the King, and is rich in the +native talent of Tidemand, who was the national genre painter of his +day. There are magnificent views of the fjord, bay, and surrounding +mountains from all points, whether high or low, from the fortress or +from the Egeberg, from the tower of the church in the market-place, +or, farther off, from the Frogner Sæter and the Skougemsaas. For the +latter, however, a long day should be taken. + +[Illustration: _Christiania._] + +To visit Oscar’s Hall the most pleasant way is to take a boat and row +across. This was suggested by Hans, and we were glad to find that +he took kindly to boat work, as he came from Gudbransdalen, which +is inland. More pleased, however, were we to discover, when about +half-way across, that Hans was gradually bursting out into song, +singing in a clear voice one of Kjerulf’s sweetest compositions, +which we give in part at the end of the chapter. There is a plaintive +sweetness throughout it, and the beauty of the evening, coupled with +the surprise, caused us to anticipate many future repetitions, as +nothing, when travelling, is more humanising and soothing than vocal or +instrumental music. + +[Illustration: _A Timber Shoot._] + +The University, the Storthing, museums, and Mr. Bennett have already +been frequently described: still just one word. Every Englishman is +received by Mr. Bennett, who carries out his slightest wish. We only +called to see him, and get some _smaapenge_; for if we had not, no one +would have believed that we had been to Norway. Before the country +was well opened Mr. Bennett must have been of the greatest service to +visitors. + +During our very short stay we had an excellent opportunity of judging +of the character of the people when collected in masses. There were +to be a great procession of guilds and all kinds of things at the New +Palace. These we attended, and very gratified we were to find how +orderly the good folk were; how quiet, and yet with what a sense of +comfortable enjoyment, if we may use the term; no excitement, but a +cheerful interest in all that was going on; no crushing, no rush of +roughs. If such were the case in large towns, we considered it augured +well for the provinces. + +Between Christiania and Kongsberg much timber is seen wending its way +down to the fjord. An instance of a _timber jam_ after a shoot is +given in the accompanying illustration. Sometimes trees are torn away +at flood-time. The regular timber is duly marked and started, and at +certain periods of the year persons follow the course of the river for +the purpose of releasing the _jams_ and helping the timber on its way +to Drammen, where it is shipped for all parts of the world. + +Little is said here of the cities of Christiania, Bergen, and +Trondhjem, as our path lies in the open, the fjeld life, _sæters_, +peasants, and sport. Our delight is to live out of the present century +in fresh air and simplicity, where trolds might cross our path, where +we might see the lovely Huldre, the beauty who had the unfortunate +appendage of a cow’s tail, which, when exposed to view, was the signal +for her to vanish into thin air, or where Odin and Thor had had great +_jagt_, and killed bears, elks, gluttons, and wolves. The scenes we +longed for were those in which pagan rites had been carried out with +all the grandeur of mighty warriors and priests worthy of Valhalla; +wherein Vikings, after deeds of valour, were laid low, and buried with +great solemnity and becoming pomp in their own war vessels, with their +treasure, their arms, and their hunting-gear about them, waiting for +the call to glory. + +[Music: INGRIDS VISE. + + RENDYR CHORUS. + + Music by H. KJERULF. Words by BJØRNSON. + + Og Ræ-ven laa under Birke-rod bortved Lyn-get, bortved + Lyn-get, og Haren hoppede paa lette Fod o-ver Lyn-get, o-ver + Lyn-get. “Det + er vel no-get til Sol-skins dag! det glitt-rer for og det + glitt-rer bag over Lyn-get, over Lyn-get!”] + + + + + II. + THELEMARKEN. + + LYSTHUS—COMPONENT PARTS OF TRAVEL—HITTERDAL CHURCH—THE + CHAIR—THE CAMP AT SKEJE—FLATDAL—RELICS OF THE PAST—THE + ASTONISHED MAGPIE AND UNKNOWN MUSIC—THE COSTUMES OF + THELEMARKEN—THE “HULDRE”—THE BEAUTIFUL TROLD—BERGE AND + THE MANGLETRÆ—MOGEN—THE PLOUGH, REIN HORNS, AND SNOW + SHOES—BOCKLEY AND PUKKINGS—BLACK-BROWN BEER—JAMSGAARD—A + NIGHT IN THE LAAVE—CAMP BEDS AND HAMMOCK—BOTTEN—NEW + ROAD-MAKING—WEIRD SCOTCH FIRS—A BLASTED FOREST. + + +Thelemarken is a large district, lying in the south-east of Norway, +north of Sætersdalen, which is the most southern part of the kingdom. +It is characterized by forest, costume, and wood-carving, the latter +being applied on a large scale to the external decoration of houses, +and especially to the storehouse, which is always a separate building +of one story, and locally called the _stabur_. On the exterior of +this structure is lavished all the carving talent and energy of the +proprietor and his friends; while inside will be found good old +coffers, containing the silver and the tankards, the brooches and +the bridal crown, which is handed down from generation to generation +amongst the _bönder_, or farmers. A public parochial crown is sometimes +to be heard of, and may be seen at the lawyer’s, for that profession is +known in Norway; and, when litigation commences, it is impossible to +guess the time over which it may extend. But to return to wood-carving, +so important a feature in the dwellings of the inhabitants of this +part. A fine specimen of carved lintel, or side-post, is in existence +near Lysthus, displaying wonderful solidity, and a flowing Runic design +extremely difficult to copy. How was it originated? What was the +_motif_ of the design? After making a careful study of it, it appears +to be the result of “eyes”—generally associated without hooks—being +kept to themselves, and interlaced, one following the other. On trying +this, it was found to be practicable and most successful. Talking +over this glorious old work with the good housewife, she called her +husband, who went off to the _stabur_, and, quickly returning, told me +there was a very old and handsome pair of these lintels lying under +the “provision house,” and begged me to accept them in recollection of +my visit, and take them back to my own home, that they might give me +pleasure there. Great was my wish to accept them, but the difficulty of +transit soon flashed across my mind. Our route lay over the Haukelid, +with hours of snow—ponies sinking in, and perhaps through. So the +transit being impossible, I tendered my thanks for the kindly offer. It +was with much regret that I did so, but what could be done hundreds of +miles from home, and just starting over the roughest mountain tracts +to the north-west of Norway? Nothing but a grateful negative, and a +suggestion that they should be given to the next nice young couple who +were starting housekeeping. The principal carving, as we have already +observed, is lavished on the storehouses; and as soon as a loving +couple are engaged, the man begins to build his nest, with nothing much +but his axe for strong work and a knife for ornamentation. The latter +instrument is most adroitly used by the peasants, cutting all sweeping +curves, with the left-hand thumb used as a lever. The house-building +is characterized by large timbers squared, afterwards calked with +moss, and the ends crossing. As will be hereafter shown, the timbers +are generally numbered externally up to twelve, so that they may be +easily rebuilt should occasion arise to remove the house elsewhere. +Looking at these immense solid timbers, what a contrast they present to +modern work; how like their sturdy forefathers, who worked so solidly; +how unlike the feather-edged boarding of the new half-civilised houses +which are now being introduced near towns, and are flimsiness itself, +and only carpenter’s shoddy! + +[Illustration: _Norwegian Carved Lintels._] + +[Illustration: _Carved House in Thelemarken._] + +Kongsberg is a city of rushing waters, or rather a small town; and +approaching it is suggestive of proximity to a seltzer-water bottle +with the cork partially out. The river rushes, splutters, fumes, +foams, and steams; huge sticks, fir poles, and stems battling their +way down the broken waters to Drammen, preparatory to their being +shipped for the warmer and drier sphere of civilisation and circular +saws. Some three English miles below Kongsberg is the Labro Fos, which +is very interesting, and well worth visiting, inasmuch as it affords +an admirable opportunity of seeing the timber shoot the Fos—large +fir-stems sometimes coming clean over the fall into the roar below. + +[Illustration: _Carved Houses, Bru, Thelemarken._] + +Kongsberg is a centre of interest, as close by are found the silver +mines which have for ages supplied the raw material for the _gamle +sölv_, such as silver crowns, belts, cups, tankards, and all the +endless variety of ornament for which Gamle Norge has been, and is, +so famous. However, we will not now enter into this subject, but will +merely mention that interesting specimens of this class of work are to +be found in England, souvenirs of travel which are highly prized by the +happy possessors and their friends also. The silver is not considered +very pure, but the old designs are very grand and admirable. The modern +specimens, and especially those in filigree, are far inferior, being +poor in design and unsubstantial. + +[Illustration: _Kongsberg: Thelemarken._] + +Forests are most typical of Thelemarken, and very suggestive of bears +in winter, a season much more severe here than in some other parts +of Norway, as the district is away east, beyond the influence of +the gulf-stream. It is a curious fact that directly an Englishman +arrives in Thelemarken everybody seems to have seen bears, or, to be +more precise, to have had visions of bears. That there are bears is +certain. A sport-loving Oxonian last year was disappointed of a bear +in the north, and, coming south on his return to shoot blackcock, had +lighted his pipe and was walking quietly back when he saw a bear! He +was seventy yards off, and had only one cartridge. He fired. Bruin, +falling back on his haunches, put out his “embracers,” and rushed +forward for the “hug,” when he gave a roll and fell backwards—dead. +He was a splendid beast, judging from the skin. What a trophy to bring +home! “What luck!” some said. On his return, the fortunate hunter—who, +by-the bye, was a week later than he should have been—heard the +momentous words from his dear parent, “Well, sir, where is the bear you +went out to shoot in Norway?” “Have you not seen it? It’s in the hall.” +“Oh, my dear boy, I am so delighted—so glad! Come, let us have the +skin up here. Send for mamma. This is capital!” How much nicer it is +to bring home a bear-skin than to have to say, “Didn’t shoot one!” Who +does not know what zest there always is in success? + +The costume of the district is worn in every-day life, by the farmers +as well as the peasants; in fact, the farmers, or _bönder_, are very +proud of their dress. First and foremost is the typical white jacket, +with light blue facings and silver buttons; blue collars, blue pocket +flaps, with silver buttons also; the jacket turned well back, with a +light blue _revers_, as I think the ladies call it. But the great +characteristic of the jacket is not to be too long; the _ton_ only have +the back to come down just below the shoulder-blade; and, as the black +trousers rush up to meet the curtailed garment, one can imagine the +vast area of black trouser before arriving at the foot of the figure; +it really makes them all look out of drawing. + +The women wear a chocolate-coloured handkerchief cleverly twisted round +the head and falling down the back, with the hair plaited; and well +they look with their fair hair and ribbons, their homespun or _vadmel_ +petticoats closely kilt-plaited, old silver brooches and studs, and +sometimes silk handkerchiefs as aprons, with coloured cinctures, the +bodice with dark ground and flowers, crewel-worked, in relief. Near +Lysthus the costume is nearly all blue, a kind of short frock-coat, +with dark blue trouser-gaiters, embroidered up the side with yellow and +scarlet; but this is not a successful phase of costume. + +On Sunday every variety is seen, and the additional interest of lake +travelling is met with—namely, the raft boats, consisting of seven +stems of trees, the longest in the middle, the six cut shorter, like +organ pipes; midships a seat for one; while the oars are tied in with +green birch twigs with the leaves on. How suggestive of early lake +habitation, and yet how like a modern outrigger; for there is only room +for one and a _fine_, or provision box, from which a Norwegian, male or +female, is inseparable. + +The shortness of the jackets is shown in an illustration which +represents a custom peculiar to this part, namely, smoking the cows +(see p. 36). Many travellers have complained of the flies in Norway, +and now even Norwegian cows object to them, and the farm folk, in +kindly sympathy, make fires of juniper, the smoke of which is unwelcome +to the mosquitoes. Into this smoke the cows are only too glad to go, +and being well flavoured with juniper, are ready to start forth for the +day, regardless of their little winged enemies. We speak from practical +experience when we add that the traveller likewise will be rather +benefited by participating in the process. + +Here, perhaps, it would be as well to refer to the hour-glass under +the initial letter at the commencement of the chapter. It is composed +of brass, and placed by the side of the pulpit, which is opposite +to the King’s pew or box in the church at Kongsberg. There are four +hour-glasses—quarter, half, three-quarters, and hour; so the domine, +or minister, turns the glass before commencing his discourse, and the +congregation knows how long he will continue. At Tönsberg there is a +curious mural historical souvenir, consisting of the top of a stool let +into the wall, on which may be read the following:— + +“In the year 1589, being the 11th day of November, came the well-born +gentleman, Mr. Jacobus Stuart, King of Scotland: and the 25th Sunday +after Trinity, which was the 16th day of November, he sat on this stool +and heard a preaching from the 23rd Psalm, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd.’ +Mr. David Lentz preached, and he preached between 10 and 12.” + +[Illustration: _The Raft Boat: Thelemarken._] + +This “well-born gentleman” was evidently James the First of England and +Sixth of Scotland, who married Anne of Denmark, sister of Christian IV. + +Leaving Lysthus, we settled down for steady travelling in that most +delightful style, namely, with our tents and luggage, sometimes in +a _stolkjær_, or country cart, sometimes with ponies only. Such +independence, such health-giving enjoyment, can hardly be obtained +under different circumstances. The travellers in this case were three, +happily organized in the following manner. They might for the nonce +be called Brown, Jones, and Robinson, as a tribute of respect to the +originals in the “Primer or Spelling Book,” published in 1790, where +those now world-known names are first found associated. Let us rather +go with the times, and number them—a treatment now general in hotels, +both at home and abroad. + +So, to commence, No. 1 was the youngest, and unanimously elected +Paymaster-general. Polyglot in his knowledge of languages, he shone +when asked to explain: then came such volleys of Norske, German, +Danish, Swedish, French, Italian, all in one flowing Norskey catena, +that, if people did not understand them, they felt they ought to, +and acted accordingly. All this was carried out with the dash of a +Zouave, and garnished with a profound knowledge of music and brilliant +execution on the piano. How we longed sometimes for a pocket piano! No. +1’s great _forte_ was enthusiasm for fishing—trout, salmon, greyling, +and split-cane fly-rods. Tradition says that he has often in his +sleep talked of “blue doctors,” “large butchers,” and “black doses,” +these sounds having been heard in the small hours of the morning +zephyring from his tent with nasal accompaniments; but he was always +equal to the occasion, even when some one had landed with the luggage +by mistake. “Never mind, my dear boy; sure to find it; most honest, +charming people, these Norwegians—never lose anything.” Such were the +comforting words which emanated from No. 1 when he understood that No. +3 had lost his luggage; but when he found that it was his own a change +came over the spirit of his dream. The polyglot vocabulary was soon +launched, the fire of the Zouave flared up, a carriole was ordered, +and the pursuit commenced, which happily ended in the recovery of the +wandering impedimenta, when Richard became himself again. + +No. 2 was Tentmaster-general, and a sportsman to the core. Reindeer, +salmon, and Gamle Norge—these he had chronically on the brain, +mixed up with a great love of old tankards and a yearning for silver +belts and _gammelt sölv_. Once in his Norfolk jacket and knickers, _pua +de höie fjelde_, how happy was he! rejoicing in the _friske luft_, +mountain air, and snow peaks (_snebræer_), ready for any amount of +fatigue, and always willing to cook first and eat afterwards. A rare +good man was the Tentmaster. + +[Illustration: _Hitterdal Church: Sunday Morning._] + +No. 3 was generally known as “the Locust,” from his constant appetite +for all kinds of food, and general thirst for knowledge about +everything connected with Norway. Note-book in hand, he was ever +jotting down everything, even to catching mosquitoes between the leaves +of it, so as to bring home the real thing. Still No. 3 had an important +duty to perform. As the travellers were three, he was allowed the +casting vote—a most wholesome arrangement, as he was a married man, +and consequently likely to be useful in some weighty matters. Happily, +to the credit of No. 1 and No. 2, the exercise of No. 3’s prerogative +was never called for, and by the end of the trip was looked on as a +sinecure. Still he always travelled ready to apply “a touch of the +oil feather”—one of the best companions a traveller can have ready +to hand. May many such trios have a trip of such great yet simple +enjoyment, such health, and such pleasing diversion of thought! It is +a joy to fall back upon throughout life, and the longer the life the +greater the relish of recollection. + +Hitterdal Church is one of the two wooden churches of which Norway +can boast, the other being that of Borgund. They are built of wood, +Byzantine-Gothic, _on dit_, but grotesque and pagodaist in form. The +old porches are grandly carved with serpents, dragons, and Runic +interlacings. The church itself at Hitterdal is nothing like so quaint +or picturesque as that at Borgund, neither is it so weird; still, its +early carving forms a noble monument to come down to us, and at once +draws forth the admiration, not only of the antiquarian, but of the +casual passer-by. The lintels at the entrance are especially beautiful. +The bell-tower is unusually detached, in this case being placed on +the other side of the highway. Unfortunately, time prevented a more +detailed sketch of the old chair or seat given on page 29: it stands in +the church by the altar, and is considered episcopal, but the date is +most likely _circa_ 900. What grand solidity of form! Vikingly to a +degree, and fit for Thor or Odin. There is a great air of majesty about +it. + +The roof of the church is also of wood, carved in the same way as many +of the churches in Sussex, and covered with small wooden tiles, if +that term may be used to describe the process which in that county is +generally known as “shingling.” + +[Illustration: _Porch at Hitterdal: Thelemarken._] + +The churchyard is very interesting, and the grave-boards have a +peculiar form worthy of notice; for this reason one is introduced +here. The shape of the upper part is that of a cross, but below come +up two horns, rising right and left. These horns have a kind of anchor +form; and what could be a more appropriate emblem in a country so +sea-bound as Norge? The blending of Faith and Hope is, I think, most +poetically suggested. Can we do better here than pay a tribute of +respect to the beautiful simplicity of the religious character of the +Norwegian peasantry? Their love of God and their reverence for religion +are refreshing, and offer a good lesson to many who rejoice in mere +flourish of external worship. We shall have occasion to refer to the +curious anomaly of Roman Catholic vestments continued in the present +day in the Lutheran service, but allusion may now be made to the happy +link which exists between the ministers and people. This is shown in +the character of the sermons, the whole tone of which seems to aim at +binding the parish together in Christian love and sympathy, bearing +each other’s burdens, caring for one another, and curbing self—the +most difficult of all tasks, as it comes nearest home, and is in itself +so antagonistic to the inclinations of human nature. The whole climate +rather tends to develop this frame of mind: there is a certain sedate +expression throughout the provinces; the long darkness of winter, +extending its influence even into the continuous light of the northern +summer, brings every one into close and constant proximity, whilst the +mountains isolate the valleys one from the other without any access. +Still, when the summer comes and the whole energy of vegetation +bursts out at once, how their gladdened hearts rejoice! They pluck +these outbursts of beauty and revived nature, and joyously take them +to the house of God—no mere form or ritual, but the wholesome outcome +of heartfelt, unsophisticated joy and gratitude for brightness after +lengthened gloom and months of pent-up feeling. + +[Illustration: _Chair in Hitterdal Church._] + +Leaving Hitterdal, we were off in earnest for the Hardanger, with +a grand country before us. The first night we pulled up at Skeje. +Before coming to our resting-place at the end of the lake, we noticed +the saw-mills and corn-mills (seven, one above the other); not that +torrents are scarce in Norway, but in this valley there was employment. +Arrived at Skeje, our Tentmaster having selected his spot, tents were +pitched, and everything put ship-shape for the night. The only milk we +could get was goat’s milk, and _fladbröd_ in abundance. It is, perhaps, +superfluous to mention here that _fladbröd_ can be made very toothsome +by drying it before the fire: the peasants keep it in a state ready for +travelling, with the means of folding it up so as not to be shaken into +dust by the jolting of the _stolkjær_, which certainly would be the +case had it been fit for eating. The smoke of our fire had gone up, and +after our meal and a chat with our neighbours we turned in. A strange +dog came into the Patriarch’s tent, and eventually curled himself up +for the night, and, as a mark of gratitude for welcome, woke him in the +morning by licking his face. + +Next day brought us on to Flatdal. Looking over that grand, deep +valley, we halted awhile at a picturesque wooden house: we asked +for milk, which was brought forthwith, and it was goat’s milk. The +daughter, as it was Saturday afternoon, was engaged plaiting her two +long tails ready for the morrow. The good mother had a very fine +antique silver brooch, and the proprietor one also on his shirt-front, +and after we had drunk our milk they showed us their rooms, which +were most interesting, and dated very far back; for traces of the +fact presented themselves on all sides, especially in the harness and +elaborately carved horse-collars, which bore the crest of a lion’s +head on an escutcheon—evidently belonging to the days of aristocratic +Norway. + +[Illustration: _Flatdal: Thelemarken._] + +We had bivouacked on a green lawn near the village, close to a house +which was a carriole station. Our three tents were a novelty, and our +cooking at last brought a crowd around us; but we must say that the +people were most kindly and considerate towards us. They had never seen +such a thing before, and hated _fanter_, tinkers, and gipsies, which +nearly included all wanderers in tents: such latter were we. + +Next we inspected the _loom_, where a daughter was hard at work. There +were a fine old bed, with inscription, and many spinning-wheels, highly +coloured (green, red, and blue and white, with black). It is a pity an +illustration of this room cannot be given in colour. We descended into +the _dal_: the heat was intense, no air below, and a pandemonium of +flies. Bathing under the wheel of a mill was a temporary relief: our +torment was renewed at lunch. But we were out to enjoy ourselves; so +we did, in spite of mosquitoes. At lunch we cooked some of the trout +our chief had killed _en route_, which that day numbered thirty. We +were immensely amused here by noticing the very comic and inquiring +expression in a magpie while listening, for the first time probably, +to the English snore with which one of our party favoured us on this +occasion, putting his head first on one side and then on the other, +then taking a hop, and, when the music broke into a staccato bass +passage, hopping back still more interested, until it finally flew +off. Magpies are the sacred birds of the land, and are regarded as the +private property of his Satanic Majesty. + +After a long day and a mid-day meal, during which we were devoured by +mosquitoes until nothing was left of us but our monograms, we arrived +late in the evening in front of a farmhouse at Sillejord. It was +Saturday night, and no room in the house, but an open space close by, +most inviting for tents. In the twinkling of an eye the Tentmaster +issued his order, each man had his tent laid out, and up they went +simultaneously, to the astonishment of the natives. Was it a sort of +fair, only read of in books? Was it the first germ of the great Russian +fair of Nijni Novgorod? Was it one of the lost tribes of Israel come +down from the clouds? Or were we Germans, who, having already annexed +Denmark, had just run on with a message from Prince Bismarck to say +that Norway also was annexed? No; the peasants rather looked on at a +respectful distance, with a certain openness of mouth and absence of +expression. By this time, the tents being up, beds laid, saddle-bags +in places, and guns hung on tent-pole with telescope, food had to be +thought of, and the canteen business looked after. The canteen was well +organized and an old traveller—almost self-acting; so accustomed to +the names of Fortnum and Mason’s tinned soups, &c., that the very words +“mock-turtle” made it burn and bristle up to a really good fire. That +night we had good lake trout; and how welcome, with our then appetites, +the mock-turtle! Three cheers for Fortnum and Mason! And then the +_mörbradsteg_! Some of our readers have never been introduced to those +satisfying and necessary pleasures of life; if not, let us explain. +_Mörbradsteg_ and other good things in tins come from Stavanger in +Norway, which is great in potted meats, _ryper_, tins of all kinds of +preserved things, soups, lobsters, &c., and these _mörbrader_. The +inquiring mind may ask, “But _mörbrader_—what is it? how made?” All +I can say is, that it was so good we thought we had no time to ask +what it was: perfect in flavour, solid in substance, very satisfying +to the most energetic of gastric juices, and wholesome. Three cheers, +therefore, for Stavanger! Then came wild strawberries, brought by dear +little children in costume, who had already begun to go through the +process of purification ready for Sunday, biscuits and Dutch cheese, +and a _skaal_ for Gamle Norge. After this we followed the suggestion of +the good motto, “Rest and be thankful,” and then some hunters’ songs. + +The following day (Sunday) was a curious scene; everybody came to +look at us. All the characteristics of national costume, as worn in +Thelemarken, were in full force. Let us first describe the _piger_, +or girls. They wear very short petticoats, and most becoming and +picturesque they are; dark blue stockings with lovely clocks, and +buckles on their shoes; the apron is embroidered with what now would be +called crewel patterns of flowers; while a little below the waist is a +rich many-coloured girdle, ending in knobs of tassels of the brightest +colours. The top of the petticoat is bound with a bright colour, and +shown, as the scarlet jacket, which is frequent in this district, is as +short as the men’s, coming only a little below the shoulder-blades. +Tucked inside the girdle is generally seen a rich silk handkerchief, +and in some cases two. The head-dress is another silk handkerchief, and +into the tail of the back hair more colour is worked. On week days they +wear large gaiters, like cloth trousers, which certainly attracted our +attention when first seen. + +Now for the lads of the village. They are not one tittle behind +the girls in the pains they take as to their points, especially +these—shortness of jacket, length of trouser, and brightness of +colour. At Dabord they all adopted the shaven cheek, upper lip, and +chin. The jacket is generally white, very short, as in Sætersdalen, +just coming below the shoulder-blades: this curious garment is turned +back at the cuffs and _revers_ with light blue, the effect being +heightened by silver buttons. The trousers are very curious—a fact +necessitated by the shortness of the superstructure. The expanse of +back is prodigious from the shoulder-blades downwards, they are wide in +the leg, and generally have a stripe down the side. The short coatee +affords a grand display of tolle-knives, the handles of which, in this +part, are generally made of _lom_ (maple), smooth, and uncarved, and +deep in the sheath. In most cases they are suspended from a button, and +not from a belt; in fact, belts are not of very frequent occurrence +here. Skull-caps and hats are worn by the men, and the richest farmers +maintain the national costume of the district. In some few instances +for weddings the white jacket is daintily touched up with a little +worked flower here and there on the edge and corner, which gives great +finish. The clocks on the men’s stockings are very rich: these are worn +on fête days with breeches, which are worked in red and white round +the buttons and up the seams. The garters are always objects of great +taste and careful arrangement. It is when the holiday costumes are worn +that the beautiful and mysterious Huldre appears, generally frequenting +the mountains and forests, but sometimes joining in the festive dances +of the mountaineers. When she vouchsafes this favour every young +_bonde_ is eager to dance with her—the handsome strange girl with the +blue petticoat, and white handkerchief over her head. Tradition does +not enlighten us much about this beauty, and the story of her sudden +disappearance immediately her cow-tail is discovered is cruel. Why +does she come to Thelemarken, where the skirts are so short, sometimes +only reaching the knee? If she be so fond of dancing, why not frequent +country balls? Or she would be safer with a train of the present +fashion; even if that were trodden on, her tail would be safe. Having +noticed the general costume, let us enjoy the day of rest. + +The brightness of the morning favoured our _al fresco_ toilets, and +one of our party (who carried a dressing-case full of wonderful +things, and generally known in the list of impedimenta as “Somebody’s +luggage”) became the centre of attraction. In front of his tent were +laid out a waterproof sheet and a saddle-bag, partially opened and +supported at the back; the latter sustained the looking-glass, in +front of which knelt a figure shaving (No. 1). Now, although the +Norwegians shave almost universally, there was something about our +friend’s manipulations which took the fancy of all present. The girls +giggled; the short ones tried to peep between the tall ones. Why? Did +the performer pull his own nose to a greater length than usual in this +country when he took the long sweep down his cheek? Hardly. The fact +was, the good folk thought the whole thing was but an overture to +some other performance, and that the dressing-case, with its numerous +silver-topped glass bottles, contained all kinds of medicines, panaceas +for everything—cures for gout, sciatica, tic douloureux, trichinæ +spirales, hypochondria, dipsomania, and every other mania. + +After the shaving came a pause. A fortunate inquiry for old silver +ornaments now changed the whole scene, and for the rest of the day, at +intervals, the _penates_ of the neighbourhood were being brought for +our edification. Some of the old brooches were remarkably beautiful; +the rings were very characteristic, some having small pendant rings, +some with the usual cup ornaments; and when it was discovered that much +interest was taken in old costumes, we had really a treat—embroideries +on _vanter_, or winter gloves without fingers, eider-down cloaks, +swaddling-bands, babies’ caps, worked aprons, the open-work at the +lower part being admirable in design. A wish was expressed to see a +baby ready swaddled for baptism. Unhappily, there was no such thing +to be had within miles upon miles; but rather than “the Locust” +should be disappointed, these good people dressed up a woollen one, +which answered every purpose, and was considered a great success. +The kindness of the people was very striking; a certain shy curiosity +characterized their movements at first, but they soon settled down +to taking every possible pains to oblige us and meet our wants. It +seemed very odd, however, to see a church so near, and yet no service. +How was it, when we saw almost enough people to form a congregation? +It happened thus. The _præstegaard_, or clergyman’s house, is at the +central church, which often has two or three _annexer_—small churches, +each eighteen or twenty miles from the principal one; the services, +therefore, are only held about every third Sunday in each church. +Well educated, well read, and, much like the old fathers, revered +and well beloved by their flocks, the clergy lead a hard life. The +vast extent of their parishes or districts is very trying to their +health, necessitating long drives, and in winter much severe sledge +work; while on the coast there is such boat work that the minister and +doctor of the locality seem more like “old salts” than members of those +professions. I remember particularly one clergyman, whose _annex_ was +on a group of islands off the coast. As the steamer passed she swung +round a point, when a boat came off to us, with a grand figure standing +up steering her. From beneath an old sou’-wester streamed his white +hair, grandly blown back, and he wore silver spectacles, large muffler +round his throat, oilskin coat and trousers, and long sea boots. As +the boat neared the steamer and was turned to the gangway, a sailor +on board said, “Now, sir, you’ll see one of the fine old sort; this, +sir, is the priest, and not a better seaman will you find all along +the coast—nor a better man.” No wonder religion takes so simple and +earnest a form when its exponents practically exemplify, in their +every-day life, its sublime teachings with a simplicity, energy, and +dignity far beyond the conception of those working in densely populated +districts; for the priest, although but an occasional visitor to some +parts, is a source of comfort and sympathy to all in their trouble, and +enters with the greatest interest into their rejoicings and pleasures, +whether they be public or domestic. In this way their relations with +their flocks are most “good shepherd-like,” and their constant care and +solicitude for their parishioners rivet the love and confidence of +all around them. No doubt these relations are materially assisted by +the tolerably equal distribution of this world’s goods in spots remote +from busy towns; or rather, to speak more correctly, by the absence +of wealth and the even-manneredness of all such Norwegian residents. +Any stranger visiting Norway will be struck with the large Elizabethan +frill worn by the priest, which, with the sombre black gown, and the +two candlesticks constantly kept on the altar ready to be lighted on +three occasions—generally Christmas, the end of the forty days, and +Easter—imparts a very mediæval character to the service. All that we +have here said of the relations of the clergy with their congregations +is abundantly confirmed by the homely way in which the former give +out the notices from the altar as to the working of the parish or +the schools, or any extra communion, when requested by any of the +parishioners. + +[Illustration: _Smoking the Cows: Thelemarken._] + +[Illustration: _Jamsgaard Laave._] + +Going to Berge from Sillejord, we had torrents of rain—a deluge: we +now approached higher ground and a blacker country. Snow ploughs on the +side of the road told tales of wintry difficulty of transit, while +sledges were round most of the houses. Arrived at the station, we +found one small bedroom with strong store-closet atmosphere, game lost, +&c. In the _vand_ are perch; in the river, greyling. The hunter and +_bonde_ here was building a large room, which, though still unfinished, +we decided to sleep in. We soon had a roaring fire; the beds were made, +the Patriarch slinging his hammock under a huge carpenter’s bench; +then came the cooking, followed by a few songs; and finally stories of +bears, wolves, wild cats, and lynxes from the _bonde_. There was a very +fine old _mangletræ_ here, two feet long. So peculiar an instrument +of Norwegian household necessity is deserving of explanation: it is +two feet long and four inches wide: B represents the things +to be mangled; C the roller; the right hand of the mangler +takes hold of the lion at D, and the left hand on A +balances the _mangletræ_, which is worked backwards and forwards until +the things are done. _Mem._—Last night reindeer were seen above here; +and at the _vand_, high over this place, the _bonde_ had seen a glutton +after a wounded or sick reindeer. The chief brought in three trout for +breakfast. Now the real life was bursting on us. How we drank in the +stories of the hunter, rising in the morning to delight in the health +and beauties about us! + +[Illustration] + +At Mogen we found more signs of winter—sledges abundant, and one +pigsty kind of hut surmounted by a wonderful group: snow shoes, old +reindeer horns and heads, sledges, and a plough.[1] This is primitive; +but it is not all: there were the old querns, or _haandkværn_. In spite +of this we had not shaken the influence of travelling civilisation; +the _bonde_ asked us if we would like some “Bockley and Pukking’s +black-brown beer.” Certainly. “Men hvor meget?” Two and sixpence per +bottle: it had been left by an Englishman. Eheu, what an anomaly! + + [1] The iron of this plough is exactly the same as the hand-plough, or +“casarhome,” used in the Western Highlands, and now fast disappearing. + +JAMSGAARD.—This was such an evening: north wind strong, bad +for tents; large lawn discovered, camp inside; camp beds fitted up, +cooking outside. The hammock was slung. How the north wind whistled, +until we barricaded that side with hay! Then we all slept. In the +morning we were to start early, and the perfect dignity with which the +page entered the dormitory, with coffee for all, was truly a picture. +We got a very good pony here, a true _bakken_, with black-centred hog +mane, and zebra-marked legs, and started in lovely weather by the +crystally clear Totak Vand, where we saw a large white owl; then to the +larger Toftland, and on to Botten. We are now in snow-shoe land, with +spills of birch-wood for pipes, and more mills, one over the other, +for grinding. Grouge Kirk was interesting; and we saw a woman rowing +over with homespun, to be sent to some commercial centre. Starting +in a _stolkjær_, Botten is a good high-latitude station: bleak to a +degree. The snow was close to the house, but within all one could wish: +preserved meat, reindeer flesh, port wine, but no white bread; looms, +spinning-wheels, snow shoes; many old ale bowls, saddles, carved boxes; +and, at one end of the barn, boughs of trees brought up from the _dal_ +for the magpies to build in; at the other end a bunch of wheat, also +brought up and placed on a pole for the birds. After leaving Botten we +started for Haukelid Sæter, and found the men working on a new road +to the Hardanger. As they progress, large monoliths are put up at +intervals with the date of construction, and sometimes the elevation +above the sea; here it is 2,800 feet, and at this point very large +Scotch firs are found in skeleton state, monuments of a past period of +giants. + + + + + III. + HARDANGER. + + HAUKELID—SLAUGHTER OF REINDEER IN A BOTTEN—THE BROKEN + BRIDGE—THE FORD—USEFUL OLD PONY—THE ASCENT—ROLDAL VALLEY + AND BRIDGE—THE LENSMAND—FLORA AND LONG TRAMP—DOUBLE SOLAR + RAINBOW—SNOW SHOES—GRÖNDAL AND DISTANT FOLGEFOND—ZIGZAG + ROAD—SELJESTAD—NO FOOD, BUT A GOOD PONY—GRÖNDAL + WATERFALLS—SANDEN VAND—THE LATE ARRIVAL AT ODDE. + + +The Haukelid Sæter is 3,500 feet above the sea. Here we had the +pleasure of meeting the Norwegian engineer of the road, and in the +_vand_ below were floating masses of ice. In the morning the _vand_ was +frozen (July 15), so that we could not cross in a boat, but had to go +round. Near this was the scene of a reindeer slaughter by natives: they +had a Remington breech-loading rifle; drove a herd into a _botten_, or +_cul-de-sac_, and shot forty in six days—nine in one day; but we shall +refer to this later on. On our journey we found the bridge carried +away, and had to ford, which was great fun. We sent a knowing old pony +over first. How we enjoyed it—one might have taken us for schoolboys +out for a holiday—in and out of the water! One poor pony, however, did +not find it agree with him, the ice-water was so cold, and for a time +he was very bad indeed. + +Once more in the flat of the valley, it seemed like old times, and we +thought a hearty meal at Seljestad would do us good. In the latter +respect, however, we were doomed to disappointment, meeting with +nothing but picturesqueness and some costume, in which red bodices +were conspicuous; so we had to fall back on potted meats and biscuits. +Whilst waiting we saw some peasants _en route_ for their _sæter_, with +all their milk apparatus. The only good thing we got was a pony—a +beauty—to go down this grand valley, and drive, one may say, through +the Laathe Fos. At this point there are three falls in view of each +other—Laathe Fos, Espeland Fos, and Hildal Fos. This we enjoyed, and +late at night, or rather early in the morning—for it was one o’clock +when we got into the boat to go down the Sanden Vand and row to +Odde—having had such a good day, we sang “God save the Queen” and many +songs about Rensdyr, Jagt, Norwegian love, “det kjære Hjem,” &c. + +In the morning we arose, and before breakfast read the following +encouraging entry in the Dagbog:—“Wel Satisfed everything is good +order;” and so we found it. + +[Illustration: _Seljestad._] + +Roldal itself is very beautiful. Our guide (Knut) returned to Haukelid, +and next morning we left the lensmand’s house for a very long day, +hoping, if possible, to reach Odde. At Hore we could only obtain some +sour milk, and then started over the snow for Seljestad, when we +noticed an old _bonde_ preparing barley for brewing, assisted by his +wife, with a scarlet body to her jacket. About two P.M. we +saw a grand effect of double solar rainbow—blue sky, no cloud. +The sky between the inner and outer circles, which were complete, was +deep lavender. This was seen from the head of the pass, above 3,500 +feet, with snow all round us. As we came down we cut our road, and +after lunch, on arriving at the outburst of snow-water, we were all +wild enough to bathe in it. However, we were none the worse, but, on +the contrary, much the better for it. Soon after we came on one of the +grandest bursts in Norway; a deep zigzag went down below us; and we +looked upon the Gröndal, which is immense, and at the end of which lies +the vast expanse of the Folgefond. We now began our descent, and worked +along the valley. The curious part of the fording was this—that the +old pony, having taken one man and baggage over, came back by himself, +so that the “aspirants” might swim over without any load. After this +we had a long ascent and heavy drag, beneath a scorching sun, over +the snow, so much of which had not been known for years, to a tiny +Ligaret _sæter_. The best thing to counteract the sun’s influence is a +sou’-wester hind side before. + +[Illustration: _Wooden Bridge at Roldal._] + +“Rein” were seen here. Later on, at an altitude of 4,000 feet on a +bare rock, we partook of dinner, icing our claret _au naturel_ in the +snow. Soon afterwards we began our descent, and, on leaving the snow, +found a young girl goatherd with a little bit of costume, showing that +she belonged to Roldal—viz. a dark blue cloth cap, with yellow-orange +border. Then we passed a hunters’ hole or hut, and again forded; +finally coming, late in the evening, to a spot particularly mentioned +by Forrester and greatly admired by us—the old bridge, with torrent +roaring beneath, and the distant lake at our feet. We all paused, lay +down, and murmured with delight over the beauties of the spot. Now that +we had arrived at vegetation, we put leaves inside our caps, and longed +for glycerine for our faces. + +Norway is grand, picturesque, wild, and bold, its principal features +being the long arms of the sea running inland for many miles, sea-water +dashing against the most precipitous façades of rocks, and the +snow-water, in many instances, coming down from the high ranges, and +falling straight into the sea itself. These arms of the sea are called +_fjords_, and two are especially grand and of immense expanse—the +Sogne fjord (the larger) and the Hardanger: both of them are rich in +snow-scapes and waterfalls. The Hardanger is the richer of the two in +the matter of waterfalls, having two to boast of—the Vöring Fos and +the Skjæggedal Fos, sometimes called the Ringedal Fos, as falling into +the Ringedal Vand. The Vöring Fos, which is approached from Vik, is +better known than the latter, which is more grand in form and power: +to reach it one should stop at the end of the fjord. The difficulty +of access and roughness of road have prevented many from making the +attempt; still it is well worth any passing discomfort or fatigue to +have the privilege of communing with nature under such a combination of +circumstances. + +[Illustration: _Odde: Hardanger._] + +Arrived at Odde, arrangements must be made to remain at least three or +four days, so as to visit the following most interesting localities:— + + 1. Skjæggedal Fos. + 2. Buerbræ Glacier. + 3. Folgefond. + 4. Gröndal Laathe Fos, and other fosses. + +The immense extent of the snow-fields of the Folgefond should not +be missed, and for these a day not too bright should be specially +selected; for pleasant as fine cloudless weather undoubtedly is, still +nature is not always seen to the greatest advantage in it, and more +particularly in mountain scenery, where mist and broken cloud relieve +the various peaks, detach them one from the other by the most delicate +films, and impart grandeur, endless variety, and size, draping the +peaks with mystery and majesty. What a delightful sensation is that of +rising on a fine fresh morning, with the early mist waiting its bidding +to rise, and the anticipation of a glorious excursion in a mountainous +country before one! Now for the fos. + +The village of Odde, our starting-place, with its simple church, a +station for carrioles and boats, its few wooden houses, kind simple +people, and one lazy-looking sailing craft, or _jægt_, is fortunate in +having a young guide, who, following in the steps of his father, has by +his many good qualities influenced numerous people to visit this most +excellent place; and all who have been there once seem to wish to go +again. Our arrival from the Haukelid route, coming down the Gröndal, +was late; in fact, about two A.M. Leaving the lake above Odde, +we first caught sight of the Hardanger fjord, with the village lying +below, the church in strong relief, and its few buildings against the +bright water. One felt greatly inclined to sit and muse over such a +scene, so calm, so peaceful, so solemn, so silent, for no singing +birds ever chirrup in this northern land, and their absence is most +noticeable. + +Early in the morning we are up, and, with every promise of fine +weather and comfort from our “nosebags” (most necessary items for this +travelling), we start for the Skjæggedal, an excursion which should +take fourteen hours to do comfortably. What enjoyment can there be, +what satisfaction, what knowledge gained in a strange country, if one +flies through it as if in training for some event or actually engaged +in athletic sports? The start is made from Odde down the lake to +Tyssedal, about an hour’s row on the fjord. Soon is seen a white line +running out from the shore, the boat is caught by the stream and swung +round, and we near the land in the backwater. This is the exit of the +snow-water from the fos into the sea-water of the fjord. + +[Illustration: _Odde: Hardanger._] + +Now to begin three hours’ good steady walking up, up, up through +pine woods, with boot soles polished by slippery needles, now and +then ledges of rocks, and ofttimes a shelving sweep of smooth rocks, +dangerous for most people, ticklish for every one, especially should +they have any tendency to giddiness. In some parts logs have been laid +in the fissures, and in one place a kind of all-fours ladder; still +all enjoy it, and glory in the freshness of the trip. After this tough +walk the upper valley is reached, and the farm, “Skjæggedal Gaard,” +is in sight. Here we found milk and coffee; the homestead, so lonely +in winter, now bright in summer light, with peasant farm folk quite +out of the world, and a singing guide; but even Danjel, with his eagle +profile, is not always inclined to sing his best. Perhaps he is +aware of the report that the priest, having heard that Danjel had +fallen in love, had forbidden the banns, simply on the score of his too +strong resemblance to the feathery tribe just mentioned. + +[Illustration: _Skjæggedal Fos._] + +Leaving the farm, we go down to the boathouse, covered with huge +slabs of stone to prevent it being blown away by the wintry winds, +and enter the boat to cross the river at the foot of the fos from the +Ringedal Vand. Once over, we are soon at the Ringedal Lake, which is +all snow-water, most crystally clear, and containing no fish, no life, +on account of its extremely low temperature. On the left of the lake +is seen high up the Tyssestrængene Fos, as shown under the initial +letter of our opening chapter. Near the foot of this we stop to go +up and see the bear self-shooter, or trap, where Bruin, it is hoped, +may run against a wire which fires two barrels heavily charged—a bad +look-out in the future for tourists who eschew guides, as this is +the only accessible road. At the back is the immense snow expanse of +the Folgefond, and in front of us we hear a distant roaring thud of +continuous waters—our “fall.” Rounding a point, we look up and see +it. The best time is when the snow-water is in full spate; then it is +truly majestic. The whole air seems whirled round in eddies; the water +comes shooting and leaping over, falling in inverted rocket forms, +half breaking on a ledge of rocks; the foam, the roar, the vast spray, +everything is soaked and dripping—the energy of nature in a most +sublime form, the Skjæggedal Fos itself. We were loath to leave the +spot, but started off a little taciturn from the impression the scene +had made on us, and safely returned to receive the kind hospitality of +our friends at Odde, and next to visit the Buerbræ Glacier. + +This glacier has especial interest for all lovers of nature, from the +fact of its being not only a new formation or creation, but being +still in process of development. It is caused by the immense pressure +of the large snow-fields above in the Folgefond, which bodily weigh +and force down the ice into the valley. Our good friend Tollefson, +father of the young guide previously mentioned, was born in the valley +where the glacier is now gradually carrying all before it. Fifty years +ago, he told me, there were no symptoms of ice; gradually it formed +and advanced—in 1870, ninety yards; in 1871, four yards in one week; +and in 1874 a still more rapid progress. When we were there the front +ice was just ploughing up a large rock and pushing it over; on either +side the rocks are steep; and throughout the colour of the ice is very +beautiful, rivalling the hues of the Rosenlain Grindelwald. Where will +this glacier end? Most likely it will drive steadily on to the lake +above Odde. Who can tell? + +At the farm was seen a beautiful piece of carving, in the form of a +salt-box, very old, but well worth preserving. We shall give some +specimens of native work further on. + +[Illustration: _Buerbræ Glacier._] + +The costume of this district is very striking and characteristic, the +chief feature being the head-dress, or cap, called in Norske _skaut_. +It is formed of white muslin crimped, the hair hidden by the white band +over the forehead, the cap rising in a semicircle above the head, while +the corners fall down the back in a point nearly to the waist; white +linen sleeves, with scarlet body bound with black velvet; the stomacher +worked in different coloured beads and bugles; the chemisette fastened +with old silver brooches; and the collar joined either by a stud or +brooch. The apron is equally picturesque. Like the cap, it is of white +muslin, with three rows of open insertion-work on a pink ground, which +is generally well thrown up by a dark petticoat, so that the whole +costume produces a very striking effect. + +[Illustration: _The Spring Dance: Hardanger._] + +These costumes were pleasingly brought together one evening when we +were invited by Svend Tollefson to a little dance at his mother’s +house. The father and mother sat together, whilst the younger folk +were either standing or sitting round. The fiddler was grand both in +action and eccentricity, with tremendous catgut fire, a few involuntary +notes trespassing now and then, and producing a stirring effect on the +dancers. The young Svend, evidently a favourite with the youth and +beauty of Odde, was continuous in his dancing, principally the Spring +Dance—a waltz in which it is most desirable that the swain should be +taller than the maiden, for the former, holding her hand over her head, +has to run round the latter as she waltzes. The Halling Dance, in which +the performer jumps a great height into the air, was attempted out of +doors, but hardly with success. After each dance the guests partook +of wine, and on this occasion we had some _gammel fiin hvid portvün_ +(fine old white port wine). The politeness of the Norwegians is most +noticeable. After taking wine there was a constant shaking of hands, +while the host was profusely thanked by, “Tak for vün,” or “Tak for +mad,” the charm of which is considerably enhanced by the fact that +these simple-hearted people mean what they say. + + + + + IV. + BERGEN AND ARCHÆOLOGY. + + FROM ODDE DOWN SÖR FJORD—UTNE—HARDANGER FJORD—FAIRY + TROLDS—BJERG TROLDS—THE HULDRE—THE NÖKKEN—THE NISSER—HAUGE + FOLKET—TUFTI FOLKET—THE DRANGEN—CRACA, THE WITCH OF + NORWAY—OLAF KYRRE, THE NORSE KING—BERGEN—THE HANSEATIC + LEAGUE—THE GERMAN MERCHANTS—THE “PFEFFER JUNKERS”—THE FISH + FOLK OF BERGEN—THE MUSEUM—STRAX—THE SILDE KONGE—NORWEGIAN + WHALE SKELETONS—THE FLINT PERIOD—BRONZE PERIOD—INHUMATION + AND CINERATION—ROMAN INFLUENCE—THE IRON PERIOD—ARCHÆOLOGICAL + PERIODS IN NORWAY. + + +Odde is situated at the most southern point of the Sör fjord—the last +inland effort of the Hardanger; and we left it with regret, although we +knew there was a new world before us in sea-coast experiences: the most +bracing sea air, together with the excitement of putting into all kinds +of out-of-the-way villages nestling behind headlands and huge bastions +of gneiss, to protect them from the furious gales which lash this coast +from the south-west. We therefore laid ourselves out for thorough +enjoyment of steamboat travelling, aided all down the Hardanger by the +clearest and most lovely weather. We proceeded down the Sör fjord, _en +route_ to Eide, the boats coming off to the steamer at Utne. Some of +the costumes were most brilliant in colour. One bright green bodice, +the edging of which was blended with other colours, bore the palm, and +everything bespoke joy save the face of the poor girl who wore it. +She had come to see a brother start for America, and to wish him “God +speed.” Then away we went from Eide down the Hardanger to Rosendal, +under the Folgefond. We had looked forward to visiting Rosendal, as the +last château of Norway. Unfortunately there was not sufficient time +to land. Sometimes, late in the season, the steamers visit outlying +spots for cargo, and then much may be seen, as, for instance, when +the Bergen steamer calls at the sulphur mines of Varalsoe. On one of +these occasions we not only had the opportunity of going up to the +mines, but through them, as five hundred tons of ore were being shipped +for England. Some people find the steamer journey wearying: there is, +however, so much information to be gathered from those who come on +board, generally for short distances, that the local details are always +worth inquiring into. + +[Illustration: _The Market: Bergen._] + +The whole of the Hardanger is grand and impressive, the Folgefond, with +its immensity of snow-spread, being the chief attraction. The peace of +fine weather makes one almost incredulous of what it is when winter +storms tear up the fjord, and the now unrippled surface is lashed into +a fury which defies the stoutest hearts and boats. + +We are nearing Bergen, and there is a flutter on board as the town +first opens to view—_mirabile dictu_, without rain. On the port side +is a fort, and apparently there are fortifications on the starboard bow +too. At last we enter the town. + +[Illustration: _Rosendal._] + + + NORWEGIAN FAIRY AND SPIRIT LORE. + +Before travelling farther we shall do well to prepare ourselves for any +unexpected apparitions, should such be our good fortune. Let us then +review their varieties, as we hear them described by some who believe +they have seen them. They may be classified as follows:— + +The _Trold_, or _Eventyr Trold_—_eventyr_ meaning “fairy tale”—is +more frequently introduced into fairy tales than met by tourists, or +even sportsmen: it is very shy of foreigners. This particular class +is distinguished by having one, two, or three eyes, and sometimes one, +three, six, or nine heads—a sort of giant, wild man, or inland Caliban +of eighteen feet high. + +[Music] + +The _Bjerg Trold_, as the name suggests, frequents the mountains, and +belongs to the same class as the former, though smaller, attaining a +height of only twelve feet; in fact, it is a medium male ogre. + +_The Huldre._—This is a great fairy-tale mystery—the refined beauty +in peasant Hardanger costume, who sometimes appears—as mentioned in +our notes on Thelemarken—at dances and festivities, turning the heads +of all the beaux of the evening until, in some swing of the spring +dance, her dread cow-tail is revealed, when she vanishes as the music +of D. T. A. Tellefsen suggests, leaving many broken hearts behind her. + +_Nökken._—Water sprites, generally depicted with Neptune crowns, grey +beards, and seaweed garments. + +_Nisser._—These are the mischievous little rascals who are always up +to tricks here, there, and everywhere, and are closely allied to the +sprites known in the Romsdal fjelds as the Höboken. These latter are +seriously spoken of as existing, and having blue heads; and while up at +the _sæters_ a spare place inside is invariably left for them by the +_piger_. The Nisser are depicted with grey clothes, long beards, short +bodies, and red caps; the shortness of the body recalling to our minds +a remark of days gone by, “Perhaps Mr. Nobody did it.” + +_Hauge folket_ are a combination of Huldre and Nisser. + +_Tufti folket_ are a peculiar variety of Nisser. + +_Drangen_ are the ghosts or spirits of drowned persons. + +Having classified these mystic folk, we can only hope that the +information we have culled from authentic and local sources will not +only help those who have already read Norwegian legends, but give a +zest to those that may be forthcoming in future translations. Those +interested in early witches will find details of Craca, the witch +of Norway, in Olaus Magnus, “De Gentibus Septentrionalibus,” a work +probably well known to our immortal bard Shakspere, as Craca was great +in using “venomous moisture of snakes.” A caldron, too, was the common +instrument of witches, wherein they boiled juices, herbs, worms, and +entrails for enchantments. + +Norwegian fairy tales are numerous, and traces of Trold lore are found +all through the provinces, and constantly referred to in every-day +life; at least, so we found. It is, however, possible that “the wish +was father to the thought,” and that we rather courted than avoided +referring to them. Unfortunately they came not, although a rattle +of flying rocks down a _couloir_ was always attributed to them. We +shall not find them in Bergen, that is certain; only Huldre appears +in public, and she coyly at the festivities: she delights not in +war-paint, _gibuses_, or opera hats. + + • • • • • + +Olaf Kyrre, the old Norse king, built, or rather developed, Bergen into +a town about 1070. Easy of access, and naturally adapted as a centre +for trade, it has now become the most important commercial town of the +west coast. The principal tradition of Bergen is, that ever since the +introduction of umbrellas every little Bergenite has been presented +with one as soon as born, another being bestowed by the godfathers and +godmothers at confirmation; and it is only reasonable to suppose that +at a wedding every one gives the bride a Sangster or a Gamp, according +to circumstances. Anyhow, it is an indisputable fact that umbrellas are +plentiful in Bergen, and, when not devoted to keeping off the rain, +they serve as a screen against the occasional visits of the sun. No +doubt this humidity is owing to the position of the town, which lies +between two mountains not less than 2,500 feet high, upon and around +which Jupiter Pluvius reigns supreme. + +Passing from the climate, we must notice the town or city. Approaching +it from the fjord, it looks picturesque and busy, with merchantmen, +steam tugs, steam launches, and coasting steamers entering the +harbour. On the left is the old castle or palace, with the remains of +its banqueting hall, supposed to have been built by Olaf at the same +time as the church. On the right is the landing-place for steamers, +above which, on a part of the town abutting on the fjord and forming +a continuation of the principal street, is a fort. Proceeding farther +down the harbour, with the churches before us, on the left we pass the +ship-building yard, and come upon a long line of white wooden houses +with wharfs in front of them—a busy scene, fraught with energy and +_bouquet de stokfiske_. Alongside lie the Nordland _jægts_, or vessels +which bring the fish down dried from the Lofoden Islands, and their +crews are in close commercial relationship with the owners of the white +wooden structures which are known by the name of the Hanseatic Houses. +Olaf Kyrre had favoured the Scotch with certain privileges for trading +at Bergen, but in after years the Hanseatic League made great efforts +in the same direction, and successfully; for in 1228 they settled and +began to trade in Bergen, and by some extraordinary means ousted the +Scotch and English entirely by 1312, when they were left in their +trading glory. They soon developed the vast fishing trade of Nordland, +and made Bergen the great commercial centre which it now is, receiving +dried cod-fish and roes from the north. These are sent, in exchange for +wine, corn, iron, and so forth, to Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Spain, +England, and various parts of the Mediterranean, but especially to +the Roman Catholic countries. Still, these German merchants were not +entirely happy; they, the Hanseatics, located together on one side of +the harbour, were not much liked by the youth and beauty of the Bergen +proper side of the town, receiving from the Norske _piger_, or Bergen +beauties, the characteristic and appropriate _sobriquet_ of “Pepper +Youngsters” (_Pfeffer Junkers_), which still clings to them. + +[Illustration: _Bergen._] + +[Illustration: _Bergen: Fish Market in the distance._] + +Bergen must have been very imposing in appearance in the old times, +when the large Hanseatic craft were warping out of the entrance of the +harbour, with their high quarter-deck and taffrail-deck lamps, +squarely rigged three masts and steeving bowsprit, jack-yard and +water-sail, long pennons and streamers from the yard-arms, the sides +of the vessel falling well in, and the guns bristling to frighten any +who might take a fancy to the good cargo on board. Now the Hanseatic +League is a matter of ancient history, but it did its work well, and +will not soon be forgotten. Bergen is at present the source of supply +to all places to the north of it, and in itself is interesting to the +visitor as being a centre of costume—that charming relic of days +almost bygone, when each district had its distinctive dress and its +special form of silver ornament, which, however quaint, or, to go +further, even ugly, still commanded favour by the respect its presence +offered to those who had gone before, and most likely had worn it. The +costumes are well seen at the market, when the farmers, or _bönder_, +come in with farm produce, bringing their wives and daughters, with +the milk in wooden kegs formed like churns, with leather stretched +over the top, and hoops pressed down tightly to keep it from spilling. +These milk-cans are carried by the women on their backs, with straps +or ropes, like knapsacks. One costume is very noticeable here, that +of the fish-girls. It consists of a dark blue petticoat and jacket, +a kind of Scotch bonnet well pulled over the head, with a white +edging of cap coming a little down and showing all round, and roll +upon roll of kerchief round their necks. Robust, pictures of health, +and muscular, how they row! When their husbands or brothers are with +them they row all the same, being quite capable of the first law +of nature—self-preservation. They work hard and in earnest, and +always look _bien soignées_. For flow of language the early fish +market conveys a good idea of the activity of the tongue and power of +gesticulation—features of life not common to Norway. The boats are all +down below, and the purchasers, generally domestic servants, hang over +the woodwork above, craning their necks and stretching down, pointing +first to this, and then to that, and possibly pushed aside ere long by +some one else worming in for a bargain. + +In the meantime the fishermen in the boats are taking it very quietly, +sorting their fish, feeling that their purchasers can be supplied +_strax_. Now this word in the dictionary is described thus:—“_Strax_, +directly or immediately.” Practically, in Norwegian life, the traveller +finds that it is no such thing, _strax_ being a movable feast—so +movable that it is impossible to say where it will be. It is not even +so sure as the “Coming, sir,” mumbled by a flying waiter in the midst +of a crowd of customers about one o’clock; for in the latter case, if +you wait until two o’clock, you feel there is a probability looming, +but with a Norwegian _strax_, especially if applied to getting horses +for carrioles, it may be hours, or, in the words of what was thought a +charming song in our younger days, though now half forgotten, “It may +be for years, or it may be for ever.” + +Bergen is especially associated with the registers of the sea serpent; +therefore the subject should be referred to here. Crews and captains +have voluntarily sworn to having seen in various parts of the ocean +strange monsters of the deep, usually of serpentine form; and judging +from the illustrations in that interesting work by Olaus Magnus the +Goth, “De Gentibus Septentrionalibus” (dated A.D. 1530), the +sea monsters depicted therein were enough to frighten any artist, +particularly if he were on the spot where the said creatures were +visible. Still many wonders of the deep may be studied with advantage +at the Bergen Museum. Lately this institution has been brought +prominently to light, thanks to the energy of M. Lorange, who has +found a grand field for his enthusiasm in Scandinavian relics, flint +implements, and specimens of the “glorious Viking period.” But we must +not be carried away by this interesting topic from paying due attention +to a strange-looking creature in this museum, which is kept in spirits +and labelled— + + “SILDE KONGE (_Gymnetrus Glesue Ascanius_). + + “Length (dried), without tail, 12 feet. Depth, 1 foot. Head blunt, + square. Bristles, or capillaries, 3 feet; 8 from above, 6 under the + chin.” + +The whales are very fine and enormous specimens, being eighty feet +long. Why, then, should there not be gigantic _silder_? A Highlander +was once speaking of the grandeur and size of Scotland, when a remark +was made that the area was small. “Tout, tout, mon! But if you saw it +rolled out, just think what it would be then!” So, were we to roll out +a ninety-foot whale, should we not have as good a sea serpent as any +newspaper might desire? + +Now that costume is being fast swept away, the old silver of Norway +bought up by travelling dealers for the town silversmiths to export, +the old carving replaced by cheap feather-edge boarding, and the +_mangel brats_ chased away by “Baker’s patent” or some other brand-new +patent, a general national museum like this of Bergen becomes +especially desirable, and even necessary, for retaining in the country +itself its own characteristics. In flint weapons it is especially +rich, thanks to M. Lorange, who has opened many tumuli with reverence +and care, his perfect knowledge of the subject being a guarantee that +nothing will be overlooked. Natural history, too, is well represented. +The corals found at the entrances to the fjords are astonishing, +immense, being more like shrubs in size. The Runic inscriptions +and carvings, portals, and chairs are most interesting; while the +church decorations of early Christian periods, the ironwork, arms, +and numismatic records, so useful as collateral history and in the +assignment or corroboration of the dates of tumuli, are well cared for. +Most heartily, therefore, do we wish success to the national collection +now so happily commenced, and so full of promise. + +The somewhat modern appearance of Bergen and the absence of old wooden +houses are attributable to the disastrous fires which have raged from +time to time in different parts of the city; in fact, so much was +destroyed by the great fire in 1702, that nearly the whole of the town +has been rebuilt, except the old Hanseatic houses. Neither has Bergen +escaped its share of scourges, for the black pestilence made sad havoc +about 1348 or 1350, and the plague destroyed immense numbers about 1620. + +Although Bergen is the most important fish mart in Norway, it will +be better to give a detailed description of its working, extent, and +season, when we arrive at the Lofoden fishing grounds and islands, +and the coast of Heligoland and Salten. It seems curious that these +slow-sailing _jægts_ should come five hundred miles with their cargo +of fish, when Trondhjem, Molde, and Aalesund are close to hand; but +on consideration it will be easily understood what an advantage it +must be for them to get a quick and ready sale for their fish, and a +selection of every kind of produce from the warmer climates of the +Mediterranean, or even the West Indies. Whether articles of necessity +or luxury, Bergen can supply anything, from a marlinespike to a sea +serpent. + +The museum of antiquities at Bergen now deserves attention, and +in it the Nordfjord is brought especially before us, as we shall +see hereafter. In the meantime we will turn to a few chronological +landmarks in the early days of Gamle Norge, which will be most +valuable, as the catena of Scandinavian history is complete in +specimens of the different periods, corroborated by the archæological +treasures of Denmark, now so admirably arranged by Professor Worsaae +in the museum at Copenhagen, and the collection of antiquities at +Stockholm. Having followed out these different periods, we need only +casually refer to the objects themselves when we come to the districts +where they were originally discovered or still exist. + +[Illustration: _Church Candlestand: Bergen Museum._] + +_The Flint Period._—For a long time it was supposed that Norway +had no stone period: now flint implements of beautiful surface and +exquisite finish are found up to lat. 65°, beyond which, and near the +North Cape, the implements are of hard schist, the local formation of +that part. Among these specimens are found of arrow and spear heads, +and knives. The hammers are generally made of whatever the rock of +the country may be. This use of hard schist for stone implements is +corroborated by discoveries in similar latitudes in Sweden and Finland. +A very fine dolmen is still in existence at Frederickshald, in the +south of Norway—a spot which, to judge from the number of tumuli in +the neighbourhood, generally placed on rising ground within view of +the sea, is a perfect cemetery. Their average height is about 3 feet 6 +inches to 4 feet, and length about 35 feet. Near Stavanger the flint +implements are of exquisite finish. + +_The Bronze Period._—It is interesting to associate this period with +two systems of burial, namely, Inhumation and Cineration. + +_Inhumation._—Wooden coffin—a tree scooped out; at the bottom was +placed a bullock’s skin, on which the hero was laid in his garments, +and with his arms by his side. An instance occurred in which the +following items were preserved quite perfectly:—A _vadmel_; a kind of +Phrygian cap; a wool plaid and petticoat, or rather kilt, to the knee; +a small box; a comb; and a bronze sword and knife. These, with a belt +for the waist, convey a vivid idea of the costume of the period. + +[Illustration: _Knife-stone on Bronze Belt: Bergen Museum._] + +_Cineration._—Flint stones seem to have been the base of the grave, +which was about seven feet long. Remains of cinders prove that the skin +of some animal was first laid down, then the body with extra garments, +in the cinders of which the bones were found, accompanied by a bronze +sword, with sheath; two knives of bronze; and a cube of wood, not +burnt. The bronze implements are so generally known that it is not +necessary to illustrate them. + +[Illustration: _Hard Schist implements: North Cape._] + +_The Iron Period._—During this period the tumuli were consumed on +elevated positions within view of the sea; the bones discovered are +burnt, the ashes being in urns. The objects burnt with them were +generally small ornaments of bronze or iron, the workmanship of which +betrays no Roman influence. Sometimes, also, glass vessels were +consumed, as globules of melted glass have been occasionally found. +In other cases the ashes are in bronze vases, showing a transition +state. Should there, however, be any swords, they are bent and twisted, +and are undoubtedly attributable to Roman influence, as some of the +bronze vases bear Roman inscriptions. The next stage covered a large +space, and was characterized sometimes by cineration, and sometimes +by inhumation. In the latter case the objects are placed with great +care after the old Roman manner, and consist of urns of burnt clay, +bronze, and glass; ornaments, arms, &c. Here we have not only actual +Roman work, but Norwegian imitations, such as bracteates, which have +been found with Byzantine moneys struck about A.D. 450 or 500. +This brings us to an important epoch in Scandinavian history, which +is very ably described by Dexter Hawkins, Esq., in a pamphlet on the +Anglo-Saxon Race, being an address read by him before the Syracuse +University, June 21, 1875:— + + “THE ANGLO-SAXON RACE. + + “A providential event, not originating from themselves, but from + a Roman emperor who intended no such results, occurred at the + close of the third century, which, by directing the attention of + the Saxons to maritime exploits on a larger scale, with greater + prospects, and to more distant countries than before, exerted an + important influence upon their own destiny and that of Europe, and + finally of America. + + [Illustration: _Sword: Bergen Museum._] + + [Illustration: _Bracelet: Bergen Museum._] + + [Illustration: _Rowlock Knot of Birch-stones._] + + [Illustration: _Viking Rowlock._] + + “The Emperor Probus, harassed by the annual incursions of the + barbarous hordes around the Euxine, now the Black Sea, transplanted + a large body of various tribes, including Saxons from the vicinity + of the Elbe, to that region to serve as a protection against + future inroads. But the attachment of mankind to the scenes of + their childhood, and their ardent longing when in foreign lands + for the country their relatives inhabit, where their most pleasing + associations have been formed, where their individual characters + have been acquired, and customs like to their own exist, are + feelings so natural to every bosom, and so common to every age, + that it is not surprising that these exiles longed to return to + their native wilds. Impelled by this desire, they seized the + earliest opportunity of abandoning their foreign settlements and + possessing themselves of the ships lying in the adjacent harbours; + they formed the daring plan of sailing back to the Rhine, though + they were more than two thousand miles distant by sea, with no + charts, compass, or pilots, and ignorant of the many islands, and + shoals, and currents of the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Compelled + to land wherever they could for supplies, safety, and information, + they ravaged the coasts of Asia and Greece. Arriving at Sicily, + they attacked and plundered its capital with great slaughter. + Beaten about by the winds, often ignorant where they were, seeking + subsistence, pillaging to obtain it, and excited to new plunder + by the successful depredations they had already committed, they + carried their hostilities to several districts of Africa. They + were driven off that continent by a force sent for that purpose + from Carthage. Turning towards Europe, they passed the pillars of + Hercules, sailed out into the Atlantic Ocean, rounded the Iberian + peninsula, crossed the stormy Bay of Biscay, passed through the + British Channel, and finally terminated their remarkable voyage by + reaching their fatherland at the mouth of the Elbe. + + [Illustration: _Sword Handle: Bergen Museum._] + + [Illustration: _Arrow Heads and Sword Handle: Bergen Museum._] + + “This wonderful expedition discovered to these adventurers and to + their neighbours, to all, in short, who heard, and had the courage + to imitate, that from the Roman colonies a rich harvest of spoil + might be gathered if sought for by sea. It removed the veil of + terror that hung over distant oceans and foreign expeditions; for + these exiles had desolated every province almost with impunity. + They had plunder to exhibit sufficient to fire the avarice of every + spectator. They had acquired skill which those who joined them + might soon inherit. On land the Roman tactics and discipline were + generally invincible; but at sea they were comparatively unskilled + and weak. The Saxons perceived this, and immediately turned their + whole attention to naval warfare. Like their American descendants, + they were cunning and apt at whatever they undertook. Their navy + became so effective in a few years that every country in Europe + bordering on the sea had contributed to their wealth, and they + annoyed the Roman commerce to such a degree that large fleets + were fitted out against them, and an officer appointed by the + Romans as early as the beginning of the fifth century styled ‘The + Superintendent of the Saxon Shore.’ These exploits had filled their + island with wealth.” + + • • • • • + +A very interesting antiquarian discovery was made in 1877 close to a +village in Sealand, some twenty miles from Copenhagen, of which the +following are the most important details:—About three yards below +the ground a grave was discovered, surrounded and covered by large +monoliths, the grave being about six yards long and two yards wide, and +the floor consisting of rough oaken planks, on which were found the +remains of a female in a mummified state. Round the head of the body +were placed several glass cups, one of which bore an inscription, in +Greek characters, signifying “Good luck to you,” and in other cups were +found the remains of various kinds of fish, as well as a gold coin of +the reign of the Roman Emperor Probus. A solid ring of gold encircled +the neck, and a heavy pin of the same metal was also found close to +the body, as well as a couple of finger rings. At the feet were placed +several vessels hollowed out of oak, in which were deposited the bones +of various animals, especially young pigs, and in one of these basins +were discovered forty-two dice burned in bone. In the earth round this +tomb were discovered the remains of several human beings lying in +great disorder, and it is supposed that the bones are those of slaves +sacrificed to the manes of the deceased lady. It is thought probable +that this tomb dates as far back as the third or fourth century after +Christ. + +With regard to the initial letter at the head of this chapter, it +is from a remarkable specimen of Runic wood-carving—part of an old +episcopal seat—which will be more fully described when considering +that class of work, of which we find such interesting specimens in the +museums of Norway, especially that of Bergen, and which happily are +well preserved for our study and guidance. + + + ARCHÆOLOGICAL PERIODS OF NORWAY. + + +------+---------------------------------------+-----------+---------------------+ + | |STONE.—Silex for stone implements.-- | | | + | | Arctic stone implements recently | | | + | | discovered near the North Cape | | | + | | are of hard schist, the stone found | | | + | | in that part. | | | + | A.D. | | | | + | 100 |BRONZE.—Period of Cineration and | | | + | 200 | Inhumation in wood, trees scooped | | | + | | out. | | | + | | | | | + | 300 {|IRON, 1ST PERIOD.—Sudden transition | | | + | {| from cast bronze swords to iron | | | + | 400 {| swords damascened.—Roman coins |Urns for | | + | {| found in tumuli of 63 A.D.—217 | ashes. | | + | 500 {| A.D.—Iron and glass come | | | + | | together.— Roman influence. | | | + | | | | | + | 560 {|IRON, 2ND PERIOD. Byzantine Coins. | | | + | 600 {| Byzantine Barbaric Roman Bracteates.| | | + | 700 {| influence. | | | + | | | | | + | | | | A.D. | + | 800 {|IRON, 3RD PERIOD. VIKING PERIOD. |Norsemen to| 863 Harold Harfager.| + | {| | Iceland. | 936 Haco the Good. | + | 900 {| Christianity. | | 994 OLAF. | + | {| RUNIC 1ST PERIOD.| |1000 Eric and Sweyn. | + |1030 {| | | | + +------+---------------------------------------+-----------+---------------------+ + + + + + V. + WEST COAST AND NORDFJORD. + + COAST TRAVELLING—BERGEN HARBOUR—THE SCHOONER YACHT—SKAALS + OVERDONE—WEST COAST—STEENSUND—ALDEN—OUSEN AND ITS + GARDEN ROOFS—EN ROUTE FOR SANDE—DELIGHTFUL STATION—GOOD + FISH—JOLSTER VAND AND NEDRE VASENDEN—THE ANXIOUS + BATHER—PICTURESQUE CHURCH-GOING—NORWEGIAN BLAKKEN—THE + ACCIDENT—THE FRIENDLY TOILETTE—COSTUMES AND BABY + SWADDLING—SCARCITY OF FOOD—THE TENTMASTER COOKING—NORDFJORD + ANTIQUITIES—PROFESSOR WORSAAE AND M. LORANGE—CONTENTS + OF TUMULUS—THE VIKINGS’ GAME OF “MYLLA”—UDVIG—THE BAD + PASS FROM MOLDESTADT—SNOW POLES—THE POSTMAN AND BIRCH + BOUGHS—BIRTHDAY FESTIVITIES—FALEIDET—LYTH FISHING—HAUGEN + AND HORNINGDALSKRAKKEN—HELLESYLT—BELTS—THE GEIRANGER + FJORD—CAPTAIN DAHL—THE SEVEN SISTERS—THE VIKING’S HEAD—THE + PULPIT—MARAAK—STORFJORD. + + +Travelling in Norway is principally carried on by carriole, row boat, +and steamer. From the immense extent of seaboard the latter mode has +naturally been much practised and developed, more especially as the +Government has not only countenanced it, but encouraged it in every +possible way. Our route in this excursion involves the adoption of +this mode of conveyance, and we leave Bergen, with all its interesting +monuments, associations, costumes, and commercial interests, to wend +our way up the coast to the north. Starting from the port, with its +varieties of shipping from all parts of Europe, its Nordlander _jægts_ +always prominent, its churches standing well out from the moist haze +and smoke of the city, a scene at all times picturesque, we soon settle +down for steamboat travelling. On this occasion there was a very +unusual bustle at the mouth of the port, a fresh breeze was blowing, +and a small schooner yacht was being towed out for a trial trip. From +the amount of bunting and excitement, not only on board the yacht, but +on shore and on our steamer, this was evidently a great event. With +sails all ready to be hoisted as soon as the hawser was let go, one +would imagine that chase was about to be given to a smuggler, or that +a Viking had appeared in the offing. It was, however, only for a sail, +and our little coast steamer was soon away by herself, ploughing in +loneliness through the fjord. And now for the healthy pleasant delights +of sea-coast trips. + +With our luggage quietly stowed awaiting our bidding, and a calm +satisfaction that the steamer was well found, our meals punctual and +plenteous, our captain well up to his work, the steward anxious to take +care of us, and our travelling companions likely to be agreeable—the +Norwegians being kindly to strangers who are courteous to them—there +is but one drawback to the steamer work. It occurs in the fore part +of the vessel, and is occasioned thus. A _skaal_ (health) for Gamle +Norge is a very good thing and a noble sentiment, but if too often +repeated, with the usual accompaniments, it becomes offensive. The +peasants come on board at the numerous stations, and can procure every +variety of spirit which is unobtainable on shore. They therefore +make the most of their opportunity, and soon the demon of our own +land—inebriation—appears, bringing discomfort to the recipient, +disgust and misery to his surroundings, and finally a besotted and +wrecked old age; for, although strong constitutions may resist its +inroads for a time, they must inevitably succumb at last, and pay the +penalty. Either the victim is quarrelsome or maudlingly stupid: the +demon makes his mark in so many ways. The natural expression of the +features is no more to be found; the eye loses its brightness, its +sweetness is changed for heavy moistness, its telegraphic and sensitive +expression has vanished; the lips, before so full of character, are no +longer the exponents of subtle feeling; the hand trembles, the feet +shuffle, the whole frame is limp, the muscles are flaccid, and the +brain muddled to futile dreaming. If this be a curse in public, what +must it be when it invades a home! Well may the wife long to see her +husband freed from this evil spirit and restored to his former noble +nature! + +But let us turn to the feast to which nature invites us. At every +moment the sea-scape changes, new peaks open to us, the clouds are +massing ready to be gilded by the setting sun, and soon we have +the heavens in a blaze of fiery glory and impressive grandeur. As we +approach the outlying islands we find strong glacial markings, less +vegetation, and the characteristics of the line of route, all up +the west coast of Norway, can be carefully and comfortably studied +by the most moderate sailors, as the islands keep the steamer track +quite smooth, and it is only when the entrance of some large fjord is +passed that any motion is felt or any rolling occurs. The villages +generally nestle close to the waterside, the church in the centre, +and the _præstegaard_ close by; but a variation occurs in one village +particularly: the church answers the double purpose of God’s service +and the fisher’s beacon, and is placed well upon the top of the hill. +Many are the excuses made by professing Christians for not going to +church, but the difficulty of access to the one in question, while +frequently causing the pilgrim to utter the cry of “Excelsior,” at the +same time elicits the mental avowal that he would be very thankful if +it were lower. + +[Illustration: _The Village and Church of Alva._] + +In making this passage those who are in Norway for the first time must +be struck by seeing that both sides of the vessel are sometimes within +three feet of the bare rocks, which descend precipitously into the +sea. No wonder, then, that the old woodcuts of the sixteenth century +show large rings in the face of sea rocks for the vessels to moor +to.[2] One part of the coast near Steensund is most barren: the masses +of rock, entirely rounded by ice in past ages, seem to be too smooth +for vegetation to get a footing. The spot, however, finds favour with +lobsters, which seem to thrive here, ultimately finding themselves in +England, and ending their days with a garnishing of parsley. Even for +lobsters, however, travelling is very expensive, for the difference +between their price in England and Norway is simply astonishing. + + [2] _Vide_ Olaus Magnus. + +On some parts of the west coast red deer are found, and now that +these animals are scarce, it seems a pity they should be in danger of +extermination. Better far would it be if the _chasseur_ had sufficient +strength of mind and self-denial to induce him to give these last +of their race such a respite, or series of closed seasons, as would +enable them to increase in number. One fine head came on board—a very +healthy, powerful horn, and royal on both sides. The beam was much +thicker than it usually is in the horns of stags killed in Scotland, +and very grand in form. The haunch weighed thirty-eight pounds English, +so that it must have been a “gude beastie.” + +[Illustration: _Ousen._] + +After passing the entrance of the Sogne fjord and experiencing a +little rolling, we sighted the island of Alden, a very imposing mass +of rock, supposed to resemble a lion’s head; and, fortunately for us, +there was less mist rolling around it than usual. It would have been +a sad disappointment had we only had its whereabouts suggested to us, +which is the fate of many who are anxious to see it. Our wholesome +little craft soon leaves Alden far behind, running up Dalsfjord to +the eastward; we begin to worm our way through narrow passages, with +the rocks nearer than ever to her sides; and at last we leave her to +take a boat, in order that we may row up to Ousen, a lovely spot, with +such garden roofs and such a farmhouse and buildings! The spot where +we landed is shown in the woodcut. The river was of the most beautiful +soda-water-bottle colour, the wooden buildings topped with the mountain +ash in all its gala beauty of bright clusters of berries. The beams +used in the construction of the houses were very old and remarkably +massive, and the size of the Sea House suggests the importance of this +locality as a centre for general merchandise. We arrived here about +three in the morning, and the servant at the farmhouse showed us to our +rooms, which had a weird ghostly appearance from their bareness, size, +and height. The old staircase testified that it had once been well kept +up; and then, as we looked about for some indication of date, we at +last found a good specimen of a snaphance pistol of about 1625, which +tallied well with the period we had already assigned to the house. +We had now left the sea for a time, and after a few hours’ rest the +Tentmaster-general reported everything ready for a start; and soon we +were _en route_ for Sande. + +[Illustration: _The Island of Alden._] + +Sande is a place of sweet waters to the traveller. After rough roads, +bad beds, sparse food, and occasional parasites, what a change! The +probability is that a stranger would pass the comfortable-looking +house, with its creepers over the porch, its well-stocked garden, +English home life, and generally inviting appearance. The geniality and +kindly welcome offered by the master of the house are most delightful, +and every one who visits it has a strong wish to rest for awhile in +such agreeable quarters. The valley is very bold and grand, and good +expeditions can be made in all directions. The Paymaster-general, +with honest pride, pointed out to us where, on a former visit, he had +killed a fine fish, and seemed to realise the fact that, having once +experienced that gratification, you can go on killing the same fish, +with all its pleasant associations, for the rest of your life. But we +soon had to leave this inviting spot for rougher quarters, being bound +due north, to be up for August 1st and reindeer; and as time, tide, +and August 1st wait for no man, we started for our next station—Nedre +Vasenden, on the Jolster Vand. + +[Illustration: _Nordfjord Peasants._] + +On arriving there no luxuriant garden growth welcomed us. Instead of a +south aspect, it was a north one. The atmosphere was changed, and we +missed our beloved Sande. As it was Saturday night, we looked forward +to a quiet Sunday, with church, the meeting of the peasants, and a +good chance of seeing all the costumes of the district, which is wild, +barren, and uncultivated. The Sunday morning was inviting, and we took +the opportunity of going to the lake, at a retired spot where the +mountain path came down to the water’s edge, for a quiet bathe; but no +sooner were we in the water than a troop of peasant girls came slowly +down the path. Confusion and dismay! Norwegians do not understand our +amphibious tendencies. However, No. 1, with his characteristic retiring +disposition, dived, leaving a certain disturbance of the water after +his plunge, which attracted attention. Beyond this, only the smallest +possible part of two heads might be seen. Now came the anxiety of +wondering what the spectators would do. Would they throw stones at us, +to make us run, or examine the contents of the chief’s pockets, or try +on some of our garments? No; while wishing we had the epidermis of a +Captain Webb the whole group suddenly laughed, and moved slowly off, +evidently thinking how curious the English were in their habits. We +afterwards met at the church porch. + + +Every traveller taking to pony travelling in Norway implicitly +believes that there is no danger of the animal ever falling; and +it is a happy and comfortable faith. The _blakken_ are rare good +animals, cream-coloured, with dark points; hog manes like hat-brushes, +with white down the centre, the black being outside; and their hind +legs rather zebra marked. From the first they are petted, and their +intelligence and stolid kindliness requite the care of the owners. They +trot well; and how they can go down a hill! As they crouch and run +close to the ground they need never be handed: no “’ands” required, as +the British groom would describe it. Still, exception proves the rule, +and we met with an instance in this _stolkjær_ trip. + +We were going over the crest of a grand mountain road, below us a +large lake, and beyond a glorious range of mountains. The deep tone of +the fir forest added solemnity to the scene, and our good health and +enjoyment of such company made it a happy moment. The Paymaster-general +was leading—driving fast, as was his wont; for his driving was like +the driving of Jehu. The Tentmaster-general was next, with a huge +Norwegian sitting by his side. In a second came the transformation +scene—nothing visible to the Patriarchal eye but the soles of the +boots of the two persons in the _stolkjær_, the expanse of the huge +Norwegian foot forming a contrast to the small neat extremity of the +Tentmaster, who was shot out with great velocity, and stunned by his +unavoidable concussion with the earth. We laid him in the heather by +the side of the road, anxious for his recovery. Happily he soon came +round, but was much shaken; it was, therefore, necessary to proceed +very gently to avoid further shaking, and we purposed halting for a day +or two, until we could get the advice of a doctor. It assumes the form +of real travel when doctors are two days distant or more, and you carry +your own lint and medicine. Thankful were we to see the return of the +old smile on the Tentmaster’s face, and to hear from his own lips the +welcome bulletin, “I am better.” The pony was not hurt, while the big +Norwegian had a _skaal_ of whiskey, and, we fancied, was ready to be +thrown out again to obtain a second remedy. Soon afterwards we arrived +at Jolster Vand by Nedre Vasenden. + +[Illustration: _Norwegian Plough._] + +The station here is a huge—may we say dreary—wooden house. The +next morning, however, brought its joys and happy combination of +circumstances: the invalid was much better, the bright July morning +perfect; there was service at the annex kirk along the _vand_, or +lake; and we purposed going by boat with some peasants, and a most +enjoyable row it was. As we neared the church we found many boats +already arrived, and, invited by the loveliness of the morning, the +beauties of Jolster had congregated and were looking their best. Many +_stolkjærs_ were standing round the walls of the churchyard, and the +ponies were enjoying themselves, nibbling the short grass as far round +as their tether would allow them. There were some quaint costumes. +These good church-going peasantry arrive early; and, as many dwell so +far apart, and seldom meet except on these occasions or on some special +business, we cannot be surprised to find that, instead of opening the +meeting with prayer, the practice on the part of the men is to indulge +in a little worldly talk before church, while the girls, according to +custom, complete their toilettes from the contents of their _tines_, +or travelling boxes, the said contents being a mixture of old silver +brooches, silk handkerchiefs, and _fladbrod_: in some cases the butter +is carried separately in a small _tine_. One incident struck us very +forcibly—the kindly interest the girls took in the neatness and finish +of each other’s dress. Only fancy three nice-looking _piger_, or girls, +sitting one behind the other, each plaiting the hair of the girl in +front of her. What absence of mystery as to capillary arrangements! +No “Lady Audley’s Secret” (which _Punch_ said was her back hair). No; +each girl wished her friend to look her best, and carefully adjusted a +string here or a brooch elsewhere, for there were no looking-glasses +about. Then there were several other objects of interest. The black +caps of the Jolster women are very curious, with a little white showing +all round the edge. The covering up or hiding of the hair has a very +mediæval appearance, but the nice little stand-up collars give a more +modern character to the neck. The plaiting of their homespun dresses is +very close indeed. + +[Illustration: _The Friendly Toilette._] + +On this occasion there were two or three knots of people, suggestive of +something of unusual interest; and we found the centre of each to be a +little baby brought to be christened, surrounded by admiring relatives. +Such babies! such funny little chrysalis-looking pets, swaddled +and rolled up! the swaddling-bands being of many colours, the more +brilliant the better—red, white, green, and crimson—with the cross +frequently introduced, and generally so worked as to come uppermost in +the band. The swaddling process seems much the same as in Brittany, +where a ring is sometimes fastened at the back by which to hang the +child up while the mother goes to work. No one could have seen this +peaceful Sunday morning without being struck with the beautifully clean +appearance of every one there—the homespun (_vadmel_) looked so sound, +and so likely to wear well; the old silver ornaments so respectable +and heirloomy. Of course on week-days, when the women are seen in the +roughest of their outdoor life, it would be unreasonable to expect to +find them as neat and prim as on Sunday. What a contrast, too, did this +glorious sunshine and joyous meeting present to the bleak dark days +of winter, when perhaps a hundred and fifty pairs of snow shoes, eight +feet long, are set up round the church, waiting their owners’ bidding +to start _home_! + +[Illustration: _The Lych Gate, Nordfjord._] + +[Illustration: _Sanoe, looking down the Valley._] + +After this cheerful interlude we went on to the next station—if +such it could be called. We intended making a meal there, and rather +looked forward to it; but nothing, not a single thing, could be had. +We therefore made a fire, and into a black pot put some portable soup, +with slices of Brand’s gravy-looking biscuits. Whilst the Tentmaster +tried to do the soup the Patriarch in vain sought a wooden spoon; +not even that was to be got; so the soup was stirred and tasted with +a birch twig. But he made a discovery: whilst spoon-hunting in a +drawer, which would only partly open, he saw the end of a mutton bone; +perseverance was rewarded, the drawer was opened; but the result worse +than a blank, for the shoulder-blade bone of mutton was bare, save the +green fluffy mould in which it was mantled. Some people may say, “Not +so bad; soup and biscuit, biscuit and soup, is a change.” Still, in +long journeys with _stolkjærs_ over rough ground, you can form no idea +how shaky and restless it becomes. Moral: always carry a spoon, and, +above all things, never start anywhere without a nosebag with plenty in +it. + +This Nordfjord district is one of special interest now, as recent +discoveries have corroborated the old traditions of its close +association with the Viking period—a period bearing so powerfully +on our own national character, that the subject should be fully +investigated, and the extant remains of the Sea Kings’ real life +placed carefully before us. For the nonce it will suffice to refer to +one particular tumulus, recently discovered and opened in Nordfjord. +As Denmark rejoices in, and is much indebted to, the archæological +enthusiasm, deep research, and sound knowledge of Professor Worsaae, so +Norway is fortunate in having the devotion of M. Lorange, who not only +tries to lay these precious earthbound relics before us, but actually +rescues them for our benefit and that of posterity; not only interests +the dry antiquarian and connoisseur, but in a far larger way draws more +closely together the bonds of union and interest between nations. It +is remarkable that a Roman emperor was the means of developing the +sea powers of the Scandinavians rather than they themselves; for only +recently some interesting coins of Marcus Aurelius have been found in a +tumulus in Denmark. + +The contents of the Nordfjord tumulus were as follows:—Boat with +iron rivets twenty-five mètres long; a bit; fifty-four bosses of +shields, or umbos; stirrup; a drinking bowl of immense interest, and +well enamelled; sword, with silver work; key of treasure chest, spear +head, bone comb inlaid with colour, gold ring, dice, arrows, deck +marbles, beads and amulets, bones of horse and kid, belt of bronze, and +belt-knife. + +Having heard what tradition says about the funeral rites of the +great ones, the contents of this tumulus, as well as the numismatic +discoveries in Denmark, are especially interesting, as corroborative +of history. We are much indebted to pagan customs and rites for the +valuable materials brought to light in connection with this period. +With Odin for their Mars, or god of war, and Thor for their god of +air and storm, they believed that their mighty men and heroes would +pass to Walhalla, and there enjoy the future in the same way, but +more perfectly, that they enjoyed themselves here upon earth—strong +symptoms of their belief in the resurrection of the body. For this +purpose they buried with the defunct all his implements of war and +chase; the horse was killed and placed in readiness, and, should he be +pleased to row, his boat was there too. In the Nordfjord case the bowl +is especially fine. Notice the delicate work in the base of it: in the +woodcut the upper subject is the bottom of the bowl. The enamel is very +minute; the “chequer” design, one might say, very Scotch. The enamel is +only on the base of the bowl; the body is of bronze, and the upper rim +is ornamented by three heads, one of which is shown in the centre of +the illustration. This is drawn full size, and the base of the bowl one +quarter size. + +The two buttons are of single wire, very rudely but cleverly arranged, +with shanks not likely to be pulled away from the body. These are of +gold. + +The key of the treasure chest would suggest that many good things had +been stored therein. Still the list is so complete that we could hardly +expect more items than those recorded. + +[Illustration: _Bronze Bowl, with Enamel Case, Swords of Viking Period: +Bergen Museum._] + +The ivory or bone comb is a fine specimen, and the coloured work well +preserved. + +The dice also are rather curious, as being a little longer than quite +square. + +One of the most remarkable features, however, in the contents of this +tumulus is a set of bone marbles about one inch in diameter. The sphere +or marble is flat at the bottom, and has a small hole in it. These +marbles were used by men who spent their lives in ships, and were +played with on deck, the flat base being intended to keep them steady, +while the holes at the bottom, fitting on to small pegs in the deck or +board, prevented them from sliding as the vessel lurched. There was a +most interesting discussion on this matter at the Society of Arts. Deck +marbles were a novelty. Professor Bryce suggested that deck draughts +would be a solution of the difficulty; and after referring to the +antiquity of the game of draughts and the modes of playing, Professor +Maguierson gave a dissertation on the ancient game of “merelles,” known +in Iceland and Scandinavia as “mylla;” and even in the present day +the shepherds and boys on our South Downs cut the same pattern in the +close turf, and play the same game. We therefore come to the conclusion +that these bone treasures had been used on board the vessels of the +mighty Sea Kings of old, the little pegs, as just observed, preventing +their slipping, and also the hero from losing his temper and using +“pure Saxon.” The same precaution is in these days applied to railway +chessmen, and also those intended for use on shipboard, each figure +having its peg for safety and security. “Nothing new under the sun,” +said the wise man, and true is it. + + • • • • • + +Eleven o’clock at night, four thousand feet above the sea, we find +ourselves at the top of the pass, just above Udvig, looking over +Nordfjord. After a long day, and a very hard one, pleasantly tired, +we enjoy the scene before us: peace and tranquillity, with snow poles +all along to suggest what winter made it. The happy moment has arrived +to commence the descent. “Half the pleasure is in the anticipation,” +has often been remarked: we all thought this about half-way down +this precipitous descent in the twilight. The torrent path seemed +filled with boulders, the ponies slid, the bipeds stumbled, and by the +time we were half-way down we had no knees left. This is one of the +roughest ascents and descents in Norway, and is hardly practicable for +any kind of carriage: still it is one of the things to be done, and +one of the charms of the country. Lazy people lose much of the grand +scenery with which it abounds. Steady going tells best, and those who +try to spurt early in the day are much the worse for it afterwards. +How steadily an old Swiss guide starts off, and keeps at his pace, on +and on! That is the only way to last. By this time we see a flickering +light down below: we long for it, and soon arrive, but very late—about +one o’clock A.M. We knock at the door of the station, which +is really a private house, like that at Aurjhem, but selected by the +Government to facilitate the wanderings of travellers. We are therefore +the more indebted for the kind welcome we receive. Down comes the young +son Jules, who immediately recognises our Tentmaster-general. Soon we +have some refreshment; and not long afterwards Master Jules says, “Jeg +schal go seng” (“I shall go to bed”). So said all of us—and we went. + +[Illustration: _The Pass: Moldestadt._] + +[Illustration: _The Post arriving at Udvig._] + +[Illustration: _Postman and his Carriole._] + +In the morning we were up early. A bathe in the fjord was our first +thought, although the big stones are much against it, and the seaweed +spoils it: the only way is to take a header out of the boat. After +breakfast we espied a novelty in water travel: a large birch bough +was seen approaching, which we soon discerned to be the postman +availing himself of a fair wind after the usual custom here, a sail +being too dangerous even with sheet in hand. The original and simple +practice of cutting a large birch bough, and putting it in the bow of +the boat, serves the purpose better, the fresh foliage holding the +light air, and helping very materially the rower, who is frequently, +as in the present case, of the gentler sex, but very strong. The +postman sits complacently in the stern of the boat, with his bugle +just announcing his arrival, and rousing up the inhabitants of the +quiet village of Udvig. The bag is not large, but most important in +appearance—a huge leathern mass, locked, barred, and bolted. The boat +speedily comes to land, and the well-known sound and scrape are heard. +The bag is soon out, and the postman also: the post has arrived at +Udvig. + +We rowed out on the fjord to look up at the pass we had come down so +early in the morning; the view was very grand, backed by the higher +ranges of the Justedal snow. We had next to visit one spot which seemed +a great favourite with the host and hostess, and therefore started off, +and soon reached a position, having followed a strong stream or burn +which came above a saw-mill, looking over which the whole fjord lay at +our feet, the mountains on the other side looming stupendously. + +Returning, we visited the church and lych gate (see p. 82), the latter +narrower and higher than usual. When we regained our station a new +phase of life awaited and burst upon us. An invitation to a dance! +It was somebody’s birthday—the nineteenth—a young visitor from +Stockholm. Would we join in the festivities? We were delighted to have +the opportunity of visiting a family on such an occasion; but the +dancing element alarmed us when we thought of our rough boots and our +walk down, we being rather particular, and knowing what boots should +be. What was to be done? We shall see. + +[Illustration: _The Saw-Mill: Udvig._] + +[Illustration: _Faleidet: Nordfjord._] + +In the meantime two boats were watched with much interest: one +contained the domine and family, the other some well-to-do friends. The +hearty welcome they received was beautiful; their sweet simplicity and +genuine affection were charming, and certainly will never be forgotten +by us, their visitors. Soon after the arrival the repast or dinner +was announced, and the real Norwegian customs were well placed before +us. After one course the master and lady of the house waited on us, +every guest getting a knife and fork; and at the end of each we went +and shook hands with the host and hostess, the children kissing their +parents.[3] After the fish and various solids we adjourned to another +room for fruit, _patisserie_, coffee, and, not an unwise thing in +Norway, a cigar. The next event was to adjourn to the garden to see a +glorious sunset over the fjord, and to finish the cigar. During this +agreeable part of the evening the youthful Jules, with his nice fair +face, came and asked if the “English gentlemen would come and play +with the girls in the garden.” The Patriarch of our party sent his two +young bachelor companions, who readily accepted the invitation with +a spontaneous “Oh jag!” Report says the amusements in the garden were +a combination of hide-and-seek, Tom Tiddler’s ground, and prisoner’s +base. Anyhow they all seemed to have enjoyed them; in fact, the +Patriarch often regretted afterwards he did not join the youthful +throng instead of remaining with the seniors. Still there was much +festivity in store, and the Patriarch took kindly to the dance, which +included schottisches, mazourkas, and valses. This brings us to the +boot question. The dance commenced. The evening began merrily. The +piano (for there was a piano, and a good one, from Christiania) was in +tune, and all were thoroughly enjoying themselves, when attention was +drawn to one dancer in particular. Sage as an owl, how silently this +youthful Achilles glided! How softly yet firmly he trod the polished +boards, for no juniper tips were scattered that evening on the floor! +Why was it? The Paymaster-general, equal to the occasion, was dancing +in goloshes! O shades of Scandinavian gods! O Thor and Odin! that this +should be the result of civilisation in Kjære Gamle Norge! + + [3] This has been referred to in former books, we are well aware, but +could we omit a custom so expressive of gratitude? _Le bon Dieu donne +tout_; but do we always give thanks? + +[Illustration: _The Olden River._] + +Another great feature in the evening was the singing and the national +music—and how we did enjoy it! Need we say how they sang, and we tried +to sing, “The Hardanger,” by H. Kjerulf, and the chorus song of “Norsk +Sjømandssang,” by Grieg, which goes with such grand emphasis; and the +light tripping sweetness of “Ingrids Vise,” also by Kjerulf, with its +chorus of “Over Lynget, over Lynget?”[4] Another, specially bright and +cheery, touched the Patriarch very deeply; he is often heard still +humming this air “without words,” which the merry dancer described as +being all about some beautiful creature with large blue eyes and golden +hair. If she had but been with us to have danced with the goloshes, +what would she have thought? + + [4] See page 14. + +It was a delightful opportunity for us to see the _vie intime_ of a +nice family in Norway. The welcome was most cordial; and thankful were +we to find ourselves unexpectedly in a spot which every one tried to +make us feel to be our home. Long may Herr Hammer, Madame Hammer, and +their kindly family enjoy health and prosperity! and, might we say, +continue their kindness and attention to those who go to Udvig?—for it +seems a perfect pleasure to them to do so. + +[Illustration: _Lyth Fishing._] + +There was a disinclination to hurry from Udvig in spite of the +fine trip before us, for it is a lovely row up the Nordfjord. The +Tentmaster-general seemed loath to leave, he was so pleased with Jules; +he thought he had grown—had so improved; and he determined on several +good openings for him in London. The Paymaster-general had evidently +made a great impression, and no wonder, with the happy combination +of youth, a petite, petted dark moustache, and enthusiastic forehead +and goloshes, to say nothing of really good firework execution on the +Christiania piano. We were horrified afterwards to find that all this +had induced the young ladies to ask him to write all our names on a +pane of glass. In a weak moment he yielded; but why did he? How often +have complaints been made by ourselves of the creatures who carved and +wrote names! There were, perhaps, extenuating circumstances in this +case. So farewell to Udvig and its pleasant associations. + +And now for a start up the Nordfjord to Faleidet. Such a good boat was +supplied by Herr Hammer! How we enjoyed it, looking forward to our +drive from Faleidet! We soon came upon a number of boats fishing for +_lyth_, a fish caught in large numbers, easily taken, readily consumed: +there were a great many boats, and they fish with a deep-sea single +line, feeling the bite over the forefinger, as in Scotland. We wanted +much to have seen some of the red sea-fish taken, which are much larger +than the mullet, but redder in tone and of splendid colour: a noble +fish to look at when caught, but poor on table. + +Faleidet is a good station, beautifully clean, and well situated over +the water. Here we were much interested in specimens of copper ore, on +the richness of which our native held forth most fluently. The ore was +decidedly good, and I think in his own mind the Tentmaster had promoted +a company, and probably thought of the youthful Jules as assistant +secretary and foreign correspondent. No time was to be lost, so we +hastened to our _stolkjærs_, but hardly had we reached the top of the +hill when the Patriarch’s gimlet eye saw a long birch horn near a shed +by the roadside. This could not be resisted. “Halt!” was the word, +whilst the others went on. They soon pulled up, for the too-tooing was +noisy, if deficient in harmony; still there was a certain satisfaction +in the fact that one had elicited sound from a long birch horn, as used +by the good people of Faleidet, inferior as these horns are in force to +steam fog-horns, as now used at the Foreland, or the steamboat whistle +which skewers the tympanum of every traveller at every stopping place, +be it where it may. There is a great charm in all these old-fashioned +ways of doing things. Again the girls call to their cows, singing +to them in very sweet strains, and the cows follow them. It is no +question of a subtle tin-tack looking them up, which, like the county +of Buckingham, runs into Oxon and Herts. The whole treatment of animals +in Norway is a good example: the kindness is consistent and the care +unceasing. The early training of the children has much to do with this; +at all events the youthful impressions and the influence of the parents +have never lost one iota of good. + +The Nordfjord is a great inlet of the sea which runs up an immense +distance, and greatly favoured the Viking tendencies. Many fine remains +have been discovered, and the contents of one tumulus in particular, +now carefully preserved in the museum at Bergen, have been already laid +before the reader. + + +Leaving the Nordfjord and passing through much that is grand, we start +from Faleidet, and when we arrive at Haugen have a glorious view of the +Horningdals Vand. Our hopes are buoyant, for it is a “fast” station; +and our appetites are good. What natural beauty around us! To be happy, +however, requires a combination that is seldom realised. In this case +one thing was wanting, and to travellers such as ourselves it was a +most important item—namely, food. The station was fair to view. On +the stone steps young children were playing; and the numerous family +were nursing each other—rollicking, chubby-faced, and unwashed: for +Norwegian children they were merry. In the road in front of the house +was standing a gaunt figure in knee-breeches and stockings; and, +with his braces hauling on to the short waist, his long hair, and +his straggling beard, he made a good type of what he really was—a +slayer of bears. Above the entrance, over the merry group of children, +were two bears’ skulls—the triumph, joy, and pride of the slayer. +Being short of provisions, we soon went on a voyage of discovery, and +investigated the interior; but what a blank it proved! The fast station +folk knew nothing, or pretended to know nothing. “A cradle” of good +carved wood, a bed in the corner of the room, and a fireplace seemed to +be all in this homestead. The only _fladbrod_ we could procure was of +that unwelcome class prepared for travelling, which means that it is +flabby and tough enough to be rolled up and folded without breaking. +When the practical reader thinks of the shaking, jolting, convulsive +jerking action of _stolkjærs_, and even carrioles, no wonder this food +is left rather doughy for its journey. Happy the man who, when he +meets with this material, can set it up on end! Dry it to the oat-cake +condition, then it is good indeed—very good. Still we made the best of +it, and came to the conclusion that one of the charms of travel is the +variety of situation; and then, after all, with pleasant companions, +anything short of bad accidents is only the kind of thing which the +true traveller must expect, and almost seeks. So we looked forward to +the next good meal we could get, but which must be very late in the day. + +[Illustration: _Haugen, near Hellesylt._] + +Some one suggested the advisability of smoking down our appetites. That +was declined as injudicious, and we longed to reach Hellesylt. The +second stage on, near Haugen, we saw a wonderful peak. Some idea of its +towering grandeur may be formed by setting its printed name on end. It +has no end of a name: here it is—Horningdalskrakken. What a pity one +cannot have time to “do” all these peaks, this one especially, isolated +as it is, and commanding a most interesting range, with so many fjords +at its feet, and the Hjørrendfjord and its shriven peaks bristling +below! In these days of express trains, fish torpedoes going twenty +knots an hour, telegrams, and instantaneous photographs, people will +not give sufficient time to do anything with steady enjoyment. Skurry +and scuttle are too prominent by far. + +[Illustration: _The Horningdalskrakken, near Haugen._] + +As we approach Hellesylt the mountains become higher, more bluff, +their formation more tortuous, and we anxiously begin to look out +for our descent to the station—town one cannot call it; in fact, +hardly a village. Arrived at the top of the pass, with the river +dashing and splashing, the zigzag of the road is like patent cucumber +scissors—twenty zigzags or more. At one’s feet lie the Storfjord, the +Geiranger district, and Søndmur. Of course there is the usual church, +most prominently posted, with a good station, to welcome those who +escape from Haugen’s natural grandeur to the stomachic comfort of +Hellesylt. What a good meal we all thought supper was that night! It +was not the mere pleasure of going in for a meal, but we had felt the +want of it, and now were thankful to enjoy thoroughly the good cheer +before us. There are very few parts of Norway which exceed the grandeur +of the neighbourhood of this place. The Storfjord is immensely grand, +but the Geiranger is a climax. The steamer from Hellesylt to Aalesund +goes down the Storfjord, affording a great variety of scenery, with +considerable comfort to passengers, as the vessels are well served; and +in this case the steamer has a captain known to all who have travelled +here, and always remembered with the most pleasing associations. +Captain Dahl has done much for this district, and has opened up the +unparalleled Geiranger fjord. Are not his good qualities recognised and +noticed throughout Norway by ladies? Having said so much, we hope to +visit Geiranger again under the captain’s kind care. + +At Hellesylt we all noticed a prevalence of brass-mounted belts among +the men. Norwegian belts have invaded England and taken it by storm, +from the luxurious productions of a Thornhill, regardless of price, +to the other extreme, the Birmingham wholesale harum-scarum article, +which loses its gloss in a few hours. The Norwegian belt is a national +characteristic, adopted by both sexes, being worn on all occasions and +for various purposes. An instance occurred when two were used during a +trip to keep on a linseed poultice; but this was a modern innovation. + +We were up early indeed the morning after arrival at Hellesylt. What a +morning! Hardly a breath as the steamer lay at the little pier waiting +for us. We had arranged with Captain Dahl to go up the Geiranger as +far as Maraak, so as to pass the glorious fall of the “Seven Sisters,” +and see it in all its beauty. We were very fortunate in all the +circumstances connected with this visit—weather fine, scenery grand, +cicerone full of enthusiasm and information, companions reliable, +food, after Haugen, one may say “good, plentiful and good.” The +characteristic features of this Geiranger, which has only been known +to travellers during the last few years, are the extremely precipitous +façade of rocks that enclose it, the paucity of landing places, and its +beautiful fall, the Seven Sisters. We arrived at the foot of it about +six o’clock A.M., and, as the sun was well to the eastward, +the effect was fairylike—the prismatic rays seemed to pervade +the base of the fall. The Seven Sisters come over and take their first +flight some two thousand feet above the fjord, and the streams, seven +in number, according to the pressure of melted snow above, combine and +separate, lose themselves in spray and spoondrift, and then collect +again from the dripping face of the rock, and finally the whole base +is “gauzed,” so to speak, with the dash of mist and the prismatic rays +called by sailors “blossoms”—really portions of rainbows. We wanted +to linger over the beauty of this spot—such delicacy of form, as the +streams shot forth some of the rocket jets, losing themselves for a +time, and then collecting with renewed energy for the final dash into +the fjord; but at last even Captain Dahl goes ahead, and we steam on +for Maraak, at the end of the fjord. Opposite to the falls we see a +relic of old Scandinavian paganism. Jutting from steep rocks, of two +thousand or three thousand feet, above a solitary boathouse, is shown +a prominent rock, called the “Pulpit,” and above that the gigantic +profile of a Viking; while higher still are situated some farms, +well away from modern improvements. If any one dies there during the +winter the inhabitants keep the body until the snow is sufficiently +melted to allow of its being brought down for conveyance to Hellesylt. +It is their custom also to tether their children, for the “go-cart” +conveyance of the seventeenth century, as shown in Quarles’s “Emblems,” +would soon be over the edge, urging its wild career to the depths +below. The very thought of such a position would be enough to frighten +some people; but how happy in themselves are these poor folks in their +simple belief and faith, their home love and trust! How difficult is +it to consider this kind of happiness, when the same family goes on in +the same position in life for three or four hundred years, in the same +costume, and with the same old silver ornaments! “How bad for trade!” +some would say. “What stagnation! how slow!” Yet how enviable when we +have tasted the bitters of overstrained brain-work, and the furious +competition of millions of people, all massed and arrayed for the daily +struggle of modern times! It is from this latter that men retire for +awhile to take a refresher, a change of air and circumstance becoming a +matter of necessity; and so London, after a season of gaiety and rush, +is left in favour of outlandish places, simple fare, and, in fact, to +get away from the daily jostle of life, to be ready for the next bout. + +[Illustration: _Hellesylt._] + +[Illustration: _The Geiranger Fjord: Seven Sisters Fall._] + +[Illustration: _A Breen-stok, or Bucket for Sharpening Stone._] + +After our return from Maraak, Captain Dahl continued his passage +towards Aalesund. The Geiranger features were less marked until we +arrived at an immense perpendicular surface of rock, evidently but +recently exposed to view; and its appearance is explained by the fact +that some years ago the whole facing of this mountain came bodily down +into the fjord, raising an immense wave which swept across the expanse +of water, and almost entirely destroyed the village on the opposite +side. A more recent case occurred in the Nordfjord. The Hornelen +Mountain rises majestically from the fjord, going down from Bryggen. +Out of compliment to this monarch and giant a new steamer was named +after it; and, on the first occasion of passing, the captain honoured +Hornelen with a salvo, which was promptly answered by a great mass of +rock being launched from the mountain side, throwing up a wave which +nearly annihilated the saluters, and frightened some of them so much +that they will never venture to repeat their _feu de joie_. It is +equally dangerous to disturb or cause any considerable vibration in the +atmosphere under glacial ice or snowdrift: many lives have been lost in +this way, and the fact cannot be too strenuously impressed on the minds +of all travellers. + + + + + VI. + + MOLDE AND ROMSDAL. + + MOLDE—THE GOOD SHIP “TASSO”—STATLAND—AALESUND—MOLDE + LANDING—HERR BUCK—THE LOVE OF FLOWERS AT MOLDE—THE LEPER + HOUSE—MOLDE TO VEBLUNGSNÆS—THE BEAR AND THE PIGE—ROMSDAL + FJORD—AAK—THE RAUMA—THE OLD CHURCH OF GRYTEN—THE + CANDELABRA—HERR ONSUM—NÆSS—THE SKYD-GUT—THE SAIL WITH SEA + ROVERS—THE INEBRIATED BAKER OF WHITE BREAD—OLE LARSEN—THE + LAAVE—HERR LANDMARK AND THE HOTEL AT AAK—KJERULF THE + COMPOSER—THE ROMSDAL HORN—THE TROLTINDERNE—FIVA—THE + MEAL HOUSE—THE STEEN-SKREED—THE SOLGANG WIND—THE SHEEP + BOY AND GOAT HORN—SEA-FISHING—WOODWORK—CARRIOLES—HOW TO + CROSS A RIVER—OLD KYLE—MØLMEN CHURCH, AND THE SLEEPER’S + CURE—FLIES—SALMON-FISHING FROM A TINE. + + +To those going northward Molde has especial interest for many reasons: +its situation is beautiful, its climate delightful, its vegetation +luxuriant, its flora abundant, and, as a centre to radiate from, it +is most convenient. To arrive there one becomes associated _pro tem._ +with the good ship _Tasso_. “Good ship” is used, in this instance, as +a term of affection among old Norwegians. In former days it was rarely +that any save real sportsmen or regular fishers were to be found on +board. Every one was known. The steward knew every one by name; the +captain looked forward to seeing his “regulars,” and could tell exactly +how much he would see of each individual passenger. Judging from the +weather, he could guess the number for each festive meal in the saloon, +and knew without a doubt who would propose to smoke a cigar on deck, or +one more pipe before turning in, and who would be ready to spin a good +yarn if there were any chance of conversation flagging. From Hull to +Trondhjem a fraternity existed, on condition that no one betrayed undue +curiosity about his fellow-traveller’s river. That condition carried +out, any one might kill his fish over and over again, and even add a +pound or two, rather than the relater should not be happy. The captain +of the _Tasso_ was decidedly a favourite, and could the weather at all +times have proved as fair as the captain himself, the _Tasso_ would +have been always crowded with passengers; for even in spite of the +stormy winds of the North Sea there has been such a thing as a telegram +for the captain, hoping he would wait for the next train, as —— +wanted to go by the _Tasso_. There is much sentiment about this dear +old vessel. Light as a cork, in a breeze she can throw you up off your +legs, and catch you somehow when you come down. She is lively, but that +is better than being driven through everything, tunnelling the long +seas. Besides, if the Saturday be very bad, and Saturday night too, +Sunday afternoon generally improves matters, and by the evening some +ladies venture up in the captain-cabin on deck for a little fresh air, +and are well looked after; for the captain himself, in spite of having +been up all night, comes out with his personal appearance unimpaired, +and buttoning his gloves, which he wears only on Sundays. He had a +very impressive way of buttoning the right glove, as if a great work +had just been completed, and the mere act would revive the passengers. +Still he was a thorough sailor and a great favourite, and everybody +regrets that he no longer commands the _Tasso_. + +[Illustration: _The Landing-Place: Molde._] + +[Illustration: _Molde, from above the Town._] + +This vessel, which leaves Hull on Friday night, with her course +north-east, ploughs, or rather bruises, the North Sea until +Monday morning, when the first land is made, which is generally +Statland—bluff, wild, precipitous, and if not almost uninhabited, +at all events very sparsely populated. Having made this point, the +_Tasso_, altering her course, runs up the coast for Aalesund, before +reaching which the number of passengers on deck increases. Passengers +are always divided into two classes—the well and the unwell, or +“marines.” It is surprising how strongly the marines muster at this +point, and discover that they would have come up before if they had +known there was anything really worth getting up for. Not a syllable +do they utter about how they envied those humble people who were +always asking for more roast beef, and who relished bottled stout. +Neptune’s habit of rocking stops many a hearty meal, and keeps many a +visitor from Norway, levelling even the great and mighty; for even the +president of a learned society has been seen lying on the deck, rolled +up in a blanket, with the large red letters “Scandinavia” across his +vertebræ, helpless and mute, though his object in coming was to talk +Norske; but the sea god denied him the luxury until he arrived at the +land of Thor and Odin. Aalesund will be described afterwards. + +[Illustration: _Sea Warehouse: Molde._] + +The _Tasso_ arrives at Molde on Monday afternoon or evening, according +to the run. If it is a fine evening, what a lovely sight after the +permanent unbroken horizon of the last three days! On the left lies +Molde; on the right, mountains, snow ranges, islands, and fjord +entrances running up to Veblungsnæs, Alfernæs, and Eikesdal. Some have +described Molde as a Naples; but the two places are as different as +is Stockholm—sometimes called the Venice of the North—from Venice +itself. Let each have praise for its individual beauty and grandeur, +but no comparison can well be made. + +[Illustration: _The Flower Market: Molde._] + +The _Tasso_ does not come alongside; the small coasting steamers do. +Boats, therefore, come out, when one soon sees what seamen these +Norsemen are; and the women are as good as the men. The principal +figure as well as the voice most distinctly heard is that of Jacob, the +polyglot and ubiquitous porter from the hotel. Molde was once famous +for an hotel kept by Herr Buck and family, whose kindly reception and +unceasing attention were a pleasure to the visitor. In front of the +house were honeysuckles, clustering roses, geraniums—not yet called +pelargoniums at Molde—wallflowers, fuchsias, and almost every kind +of flower. With such good quarters, such attention, and such natural +beauty, how could any one be disappointed in Molde? Yet so it was; +one’s fancy was blighted by the footmark of civilisation—modern dress +had supplanted costume. The _taille de Paris_ was attempted, although +it has not, up to this time, much reduced the general solidity of the +Scandinavian waist. The heads of the people are much more transformed, +and soon become smiling victims to the first phases of the vile taste +for artificial flowers, feathers, and tawdry finery. If they only knew +the dignity of simplicity and the charm of good silver ornaments handed +down for generations, they would never so debase themselves. + +[Illustration: _The Churchyard: Molde._] + +Molde is almost entirely built of wooden houses painted white. In +the lower basement the storehouses run out over the water for some +distance, being built on most picturesque piles of timber, with solid +galleries, affording delightful peeps seaward. This warm spot, nestling +under the mountains, faces the south, and is naturally celebrated for +the vigour of its vegetation and the luxuriance of every variety of +floral growth, which is centred in the churchyard, where every Moldean +tries to outvie his neighbour in the culture of fair flowers on the +graves of those dear ones who have been called home. What a beautiful +thought is this to keep before one through life—to be called home, and +to look upon death as a friend, or as a schoolboy does upon his exit! +Happy indeed are those who can do so! It has a soothing influence, +which conduces to cheerfulness in old age; and what is cheerfulness in +old age but a looming of the immortality of the soul, as the outer case +begins to fade away? + +This lovely spot has been selected as the best locality for an +establishment to solace the poor victims of that terrible scourge of +the North—leprosy. White as a leper, and shining as Gehazi, Elijah’s +servant—that is the aspect of Eastern leprosy. Not so in the North. +The features of the Northern leper become purple and hard, and the +feet swollen and fearfully disfigured. It is brought on by the absence +of vegetable diet and the constant use of salt fish. The hospital is +situated outside the town, on the south-west side, and is coloured +yellow. + +Many routes start from Molde, and much character may be noticed +on board the steamers—small practical craft, with very efficient +captains—good seamen and remarkably obliging—a quality most +acceptable to the traveller. But this attention is only accorded to +those who adopt the axiom of the late Dr. Norman Macleod, who said the +best language to travel with was, “Yes, if you please,” and “No, I +thank you,” whether in domestic life or _en voyage_. It would conduce +greatly to home harmony if this were more generally adopted. It is a +wholesome contrast to a woodcut in _Punch_ by that keen observer of +human nature, John Leech, who portrayed a Transatlantic brother holding +a revolver at the head of the person sitting next to him, adding only +the simple words, “Pass the mustard.” To return, however, to the deck +of the steamer. + +The lower class in Norway chew and expectorate; the upper class +smoke, and some carry pipes. Carry is the correct term, for the pipe +belongs to the class impedimenta. As the map of France is divided into +departments, so may be the travelling pipe of Norway. First department, +the mouthpiece; next, the elastic, to ease off the roll of steamer or +jostle of stranger; then a huge silver tassel, generally two; then a +stem and a joint; and finally the bowl of meerschaum. What an _écume de +mer_! What a responsibility to travel with such an instrument! It is +quite an apparatus—worse than a _narghile_ or _chibouque_: less coil, +but more tassel. The bowl of the pipe is generally surmounted by a +huge silver cover in the form of a crown. Our woodcut gives a specimen +of one in the possession of an officer on a tour of inspection along +the coast or fjord. As he is represented with his back to the land, it +is only just to mention that there was some object of interest in front +of him. + +[Illustration: _The Coast Inspector._] + +One more word for the _Tasso_. Returning from Trondhjem, she generally +calls at Molde. Should bad weather come on, the waiting for twenty-four +or forty-eight hours in constant expectation is wearying to a +degree. One hardly dare patronise the good baths of Molde, admirably +arranged as they are, so unmercifully do the jelly-fish sting; but +the advantages of sea-bathing are irresistible, so, in spite of being +stung, we indulge in a bath while waiting for the steamer, and in the +midst of it we hear the alarming whistle of the _Tasso_. Rapid exit +and hurry-skurry, in which tradition says the Tentmaster-general, +anxious to be first, was last, from having tried to put on his flannel +shirt without towelling sufficiently beforehand. Hurried as we were, +there was still a ceremony to go through, which could not be omitted +without giving offence. The bath attendant is most careful in his +attention to visitors, who generally give him twopence. On receiving +this honorarium he observes an old custom in Norway, that of shaking +hands and thanking the donor; so we all kept up the good old charter, +and received his kind wishes for our safe return to England and our +homes. Unquestionably we carried with us delightful recollections of +the kindness of the people, and especially of the _bönder_ folk—many +souvenirs to remind us of localities visited, and very deep impressions +of the charm of their simple life, undisturbed, as it seemed, by those +little envyings, strivings, emulations, and jealousies which, like +mosquitoes, sting and irritate, to the misery of their unhappy victims. + +[Illustration: _Veblungsnæs: Romsdal._] + +Surely the man who loves God, worships Him through nature, and traces +his majesty in creation, would enjoy the spot depicted in the woodcut, +where the village of Veblungsnæs is shown close to the edge of the +fjord, backed by the snow range. What a neighbourhood to have round +one! And what a contrast to the idea conveyed by the same word in +modern acceptation! Here the sea-water of the fjord washes the edges of +the hamlet, in many parts bluffly repelled by huge and mighty façades +of rocks; there a ravine terminates in a waterfall into the sea itself. +Valleys branch off in all directions, excursions are numerous, and many +new ones still remain unexplored. The high fjeld is easy of access +from Veblungsnæs, and real bear valleys are near, where Bruin exists +and has met with his death at the hands of our countrymen. Natives +have offered to go on the terms of “no bear, no pay.” This betokens +an amount of practical confidence which is a prominent feature in all +bargains between Scandinavians and our folk. Bruin is still a terror +in some parts, and especially to the _sæter_ people, or _piger_. For +instance, near Isterdal the following circumstance occurred to a +friend:—Scene, lonely _sæter_. English traveller approaching. _Pige_ +appears at window imploring help and beseeching traveller’s assistance. +A bear has been down, and killed a cow. The _pige_ positively dare +not come out until the Englishman shoots the bear that killed the cow +that frightened the _pige_. Now comes the sad finale. The dead cow +could not be found, neither could the bear; and even had the latter +been discovered, the traveller had no rifle to shoot him with. Still +there can be no doubt of there being many yet left to be laid low by +our enthusiastic fellow-hunters in days to come. Veblungsnæs is hardly +appreciated by travellers, who are generally so bent on rushing forward +to the well-known comforts of Aak, that they are blind to the beauty +_en route_. Perhaps an innate longing to get away from villages makes +them anxious to dive at once to the more placid and less populated +parts. This place is generally reached by those who come from Molde +by steamer, in which case the entrance to the Romsdal fjord is a +grand subject, affording the most magnificent mountain and sea-scape +combined. Happier far is the traveller who goes in a small sailing +boat, with a good south-wester behind him, a tight sheet, and the +water hissing away all round her, thrown off from her bows and rushing +from her stern, as the crew lie down singing good Norske songs, some of +which are as long as Gaelic ones; and that is saying a good deal. + +Veblungsnæs is close to the mouth of the Rauma, which rises in Lesje +Vand, and after forcing its way through rocks and every kind of +obstruction, finally finishes its course among peaceful sand plains. +The village can boast of many good things. First, the church, or +_kirke_, then the post-office, telegraph office, station for carrioles, +a compulsory school, a baker of white bread, _præstegaard_, and a pier, +to say nothing of the store or shop. Having made a bouquet of these +charms, let us refer to them _seriatim_. + +The church is the old wooden structure from Gryten which was buried +in the sand, and stood, as shown by the spire on the right hand side +of the illustration, looking from Næss. It was moved about fifty +years ago, and at that time was painted red, having only of late +years assumed the more sombre hue which now characterizes its roof +and spire—namely, black. The interior is plain fir; the pulpit is +high up over the altar, and of a general light blue tone; while on +the right side, on the ground, is the bishop’s stall, panelled up to +the galleries, which go round the church. The candelabrum that hangs +in the centre from the ceiling is very elegant in design, and made of +pinchbeck; it is dated 1770. The silver candlesticks on the altar, one +on each side, are large and massive; these are lighted three times a +year—Christmas, Easter, and at the end of the forty days. The first +priest appointed to Gryten commenced his work in 1514. + +Here we saw a funeral, which was largely attended, as the church is +on a main road. The coffin was followed by seven _stolkjærs_ and many +people, some of whom had driven on before; but there was no clergyman +to officiate. + +The post-office is kept in a very unofficial way. Calling one day, we +found that the _post kontouress_ (who, by the way, is a very superior +person) was not at home, having left her official duties to assist +at four o’clock tea—_société_. The postman is picturesque, with an +enormous portmanteau, with irons, chains, and such fastenings, to +assist in the protection of which he carries a horn and a revolver (see +p. 87). He goes from this office to Dombaas, so that sometimes, from +the difference of elevation, he will sledge one part regularly, and +carriole the other. Before leaving the post-office we will thank the +_chef_ for all her kind attentions to us and many of our countrymen. + +The telegraph office is admirable. English spoken, and every +information. + +The carriole station is at Herr Onsum’s, who seems to be the squire +of Veblungsnæs. Here _tout est Onsum_—hotel, boats, land, and store. +Every one has a good word for the member of the Storthing, Herr Onsum, +and his musical and well-educated family. + +[Illustration: _Carriole crossing a River._] + +The school is, throughout Norway, for all denominations, and compulsory. + +As to the baker of white bread, this personage is mentioned because +white-bread bakers are few and far between, and a valuable adjunct +to Fiva, where we stopped. Twice a week “our daughter” drove in from +Fiva to the baker at Veblungsnæs, about nine miles in and nine out. +Sometimes the white bread was not ready, and after a nine-mile carriole +drive, with a long ford across the river, it is rather trying to go +back empty-handed. Occasionally there were additions, such as _rød +fiske_, or red sea-fish, like very large mullet, hanging from the +carriole, and picturesque in colour, to say nothing of odd baskets +banging about. We must some time have a sketch of “The Return from +Market through the Ford, with the Skyd-gut Boy behind.” Our daughter’s +boy was rather an old one, Ole Fiva as he called himself—the _gamel +skyd-gut_. The occasional one was very young, and very nice indeed: +as he did not understand English, his answers resolved themselves +almost always into the “blushing grin” of good-hearted innocence. At +last “mee boy Matthias”—pronounced _Matteeus_—found an outlet for +his feelings, and brought red berries, or _tyttebær_ in his cap; and +when he found them accepted, and that his offering gave us pleasure, +he grinned and blushed more than ever. But why were we not sure of +getting our white bread when we sent so far for it, hail, rain, or +shine? For this reason. One day there was a glorious breeze out in the +fjord, the white horses were showing their crests, while the gulls and +terns were sweeping round us. What a day for a sail! Herr Onsum had +a good sea-boat, and would be sure to lend it to us if we asked. We +did. My wife, daughter, self, Ole Fiva, with three Norwegians, full of +sea-rovers’ expeditions and sagas, for a crew, were soon on board. As +the craft was lying by the landing-place her bowsprit naturally rose up +and down as the waves heaved her hull, when a voice came from the end +of it: “Ole, Ole! Spørge, Ole, spørge!” Ole took no notice, and again +came the same appeal from a figure with a white cap and jacket. It +was the baker of the white bread, hanging on with a desperate effort, +asking permission to go for a sail with us instead of getting our _vid +brod_ ready for us to take back. Judging from the uncertain movements +of the applicant, it is to be feared the supply of white bread is +equally precarious at Veblungsnæs. + +[Illustration: _Næss._] + +Our view of Næss is taken as looking up the Rauma River. On the left +are the Vengetinderne, the Karlstrotind, and the Romsdal Horn over the +valley, down which flows the river Rauma by Aak; the centre peak is the +Mid-dag Horn; and on the right is the Isterdal valley, with the Biskop +and Drönningen towering above. The little spire of Gryten is inserted +here to show where it stood before its sand immersion and removal to +its present resting-place. From this point one obtains a grand view and +general idea of the immense sand and grit deposit collected here from +the two valleys of the Rauma and Ister, the greater portion of which +was ground off the sides of the valleys by the great glaciers when the +glacial period was in full action, and before all the mighty ice giants +melted at the presence of the new visitor to the coasts of Norway, the +gulf stream. All down the valleys the rocks are worn and ground round +by the _débris_ in the ice as it passed down. Only some such phenomenon +as that referred to could have so raised the temperature and worked +such changes. + +On the following page an old friend is shown at work by the +riverside—Ole Larsen, a shoemaker of simple habits and small +_clientèle_, but very large family, about eighteen in number. Unlike +many of our followers of St. Crispin, he begins _ab initio_, with +the skin as removed from the animal, and is now getting the hair off +previously to tanning. It can well be imagined that Ole Larsen does +not do a large business in the course of the financial year, and the +family seldom get meat, their whole nourishment being _brod og smör_, +bunkers, and cow comforts. + +The Norwegian farm-building is called a _laave_, and is so constructed +that the hay-carts can drive right in under cover, and be unladen at +convenience: underneath are generally stables and a cow-house. Such a +_laave_ as the one shown on p. 116 will hold three ponies and about +twelve cows. During the summer the cows all go up to the _sæter_, and +about September return to the valleys, preparatory to their winter +session, when, poor things, they are generally shut up from October +right through the winter, till spring comes with all her brightness, +and releases these long-pent prisoners from their thraldom. It is an +amusing sight to see them first at liberty when the snow has melted +in the valley. They gallop, kick, frisk, career, and chase each +other; and the ponies join in the festivities with the cows and the +goats, and rejoice together for a time, until all finally agree that +there is nothing like good quiet steady grazing, to which they betake +themselves. + +[Illustration: _Ole Larsen, our Shoemaker._] + + +Here seems centred all that is grand in nature, bold in outline, +interesting in geological formation, with the constant registers of +the ice passage down the valley, as it existed before the glacial +period was melted away by the influence of the gulf stream. The whole +valley suggests the idea of the crust of the earth having cracked in +cooling, the fissures forming these immense valleys. At the entrance +of the latter, as the river approaches the fjords or the sea, large +plateaux of sand have been deposited in past ages, and through these +sandhills the river forces its way, very frequently altering its +course, until finally it reaches the sea. These sand plateaux or +ridges are very distinctly shown at the entrance of the Rauma River, a +little above Veblungsnæs, and being exposed to the winds through the +two valleys—Romsdalen and Isterdalen—a change on the dry sand is +perceptibly going on at all times. This is especially to be noticed +at a spot called Gryten. In the maps it is marked as a church, and +a church there once was in the position indicated; but, as we have +already observed, it was so sanded up that it was taken to pieces and +removed to Veblungsnæs away from the sand-storms, and just bordering on +the fjord. + +The tourist of the promiscuous class is sure to rejoice in this part of +Romsdal, as here is situated an old farmhouse, now adapted to modern +customs, and purveying comforts of all kinds not generally found in +Norway. A friend, visiting this happy spot some twenty years ago, +was kindly received by the proprietor, Herr Landmark, who is still +spared to conduce more than ever to the increasing wants of Norwegian +travellers. By degrees the farmhouse has developed, and is now, with +its new _annexe_, generally spoken of as the “Hotel at Aak.” Still, +how different is it from the modern idea of such things! Very much of +the leaven yet remains— the same kindly reception, and the _likkelig +reise_ to the parting guest. Many ask regretfully as they leave the +entrance of the house—in itself a picture: up four wooden steps to +a stage with two small tables and seats—where such is to be found; +others, perhaps just arrived, feast their eyes on the view over the +Rauma towards the Drönningen and Biskop, in Isterdal; while others, +again, anxiously watch for the first peep of the Romsdal Horn. Over the +door and by the side clusters generally a glorious honeysuckle, which +grows most profusely, and adds much to the picturesqueness. Inside, to +the left, is the _salle à manger_, out of which leads a small room, +which is, I believe, now generally left for any ladies stopping in +the house. Not much monotony is there, but many delightful evenings, +with a little music, and sometimes an exceedingly good rendering of +Mendelssohn, Schumann, Offenbach, or even the severe but sterling +Beethoven. + +[Illustration: _The Farm at Aak._] + +One evening, after a very earnest attempt on the part of our coterie to +sing some Norwegian songs by Kjerulf, it was discovered that amongst +those listening outside was the brother of the composer, Professor +Kjerulf, now of the Geological chair at Christiania. He expressed +himself as being highly gratified with the English appreciation of +his brother’s undoubted talent. All this musician’s work has great +individuality and crispness, and his airs always “go” well. Hear his +“Brudefærden.” + +[Music: BRUDEFÆRDEN I HARDANGER. + + SUNG AT BUVALDEN AND THORBU-SÆTER. + + Words by A. MUNCH. Music by H. KJERULF. + + Der aander en tin-dren-de Som-mer-luft varmt o-ver Har-danger + fjords Van- + de, hvor højt op mod Him-len i blaa-lig Duft de mæg-ti-ge Fjel-de + stan-de; det skin-ner fra Bræ, det grøn-nes fra Li, sit + Hel-lig-dags- + skrud staar E-nenkæde i; thi se——, o-ver grønkla-re Bøl-ge hjem- + gu-der et Bru-de-føl-ge. O-ho! aahej! la la la la la la la la + O-ho! aahej! la la la la la la, thi se, o-ver grønkla-re Bøl-ge + hjem- + gli-der et Bru-do føl—-— ge. O-ho—— + —— ——] + +[Illustration: _The Troltinderne by Moonlight._] + +The previous woodcut shows the north side of the house and +farm-buildings. The _stabur_, or provision-house, is there, with the +bell above. This bell is rung regularly for the farm labourers to come +in, as they are always fed by the _bönder_, and the meals, though +very simple, seem frequent. It was at this good hostelry that Lady Di +Beauclerc stopped and described the French count who was in search of +good “chase” of reindeer there, and the lady whose pursuit was _le +saumon_, and who had a fly of the same colour as her costume. One +becomes imperceptibly very curiously impressed by an association of +ideas. Several people have mentioned that they felt rather surprised +that they had never seen the count with his French hunting horn, nor +the lady. There is still an idea that their ghosts linger about the +spot, waiting, we suppose, for the reindeer and the salmon to come to +them. The friend who was so kindly received here some twenty years ago +was offered a little fishing by Herr Landmark. A portion of the river +Rauma runs in front under the house, and the good sport made the happy +fisherman rabid for life on salmon: he has been to Norway almost every +year since, and taken many with him. + +A few miles above Aak, leaving the sand plateau behind, we enter the +Romsdal valley proper, with the Romsdal Horn rearing its grand peak +on the left. The Troltinderne, or the Witches, is one of the most +remarkable groups of fantastically jagged rocks in Norway, ever varying +in effect, the mist wreathing and most delicately veiling or throwing +a film over them, which makes them more gigantic and weird than ever. +The outline of the peaks when clear is very serrated indeed, and with +the Northern people a fair share of superstition attaches to them. +These two elements have brought about the tradition that the series of +_aiguilles_ represent a wedding party going to the church. First, the +_spilleman_ (fiddler), then the _kanderman_ (best man) with a tankard; +the next large peak is the priest; then come two peaks, turning away as +it were one from another: these were the unhappy bride and bridegroom, +who foolishly and injudiciously quarrelled. Next come the father and +mother. But the most curious character yet remains. By the side of a +sharp point is a mass of rock, which certainly does look very much like +a figure: this is the disconsolate lover, who, seeing that the bride +and bridegroom had already quarrelled, makes a frantic rush to cut in +and carry off the lady. This must have been the precise moment when +they were all turned into stone, and so they remain, a warning to all +frequenters of the valley. That the peasants believe in spirits and +“little people” living on the fjeld, even in this year of grace, cannot +be denied, as they say they do; but why they should think that these +little people have blue heads I cannot imagine. + +[Illustration: _Meal House: Fiva, Romsdal._] + +Exactly opposite to the Romsdal Horn, on the other side of the valley, +is an immense _couloir_, originally an enormous landslip, leaving the +perpendicular sides of the Troltinderne to gradually crumble and fall +down, the finer stuff and _débris_ filling up the interstices between +the bigger rocks. After frost the thunder of the falling rocks and +stones into this terrific shoot will last as long as thirty seconds, +and the nightfalls create constant alarm to new-corners; whereas the +_elve-wakker_, or river-keeper, merely remarks, “The old ladies are +quarrelling,” or “The old ladies have finished _aftenmad_ and are +throwing out the bones.” Still, this brings about a new range of +thought to a person who has never observed portions of the earth’s +surface in motion. After seeing a huge rock, the size of a stucco-faced +villa, hop down the side of a mountain, there arise a certain +impressiveness and grandeur unknown before. About once a year there is +an important landslip in Norway—hardly more. Most of the loose rocks +have their regular grooves, and the peasants know how to avoid them; +still, as the vast country is so sparsely inhabited, many must occur +which do not “get into the papers.” A curious instance of the effect +of a small landslip occurred in this valley to an old man personally +known to us. A slip came down behind his house, of good timber stuff, +and fortunately stopped just short of it. He and his wife decided to +leave, and go to live at a place called Aalesund; they did so for a +twelvemonth, after which time they became home-sick, and, chancing +all further damage, returned to the old house, where they were living +very happily last year. In another part a description will be given +of an important _steen-skreed_—a scene of terrible destruction and +considerable interest. + +[Illustration: _The Laave at Fiva: Romsdal._] + +The centre of the valley has two or three good farms, highly productive +for Norway, and presenting a very curious appearance to a foreigner +when the corn is cut, as the sheaves are stuck upon a pole, sometimes +five, sometimes ten, with the head facing the sun, and, as the sun +works round, the heads of corn are kept turned to it, so as to get the +greatest amount of heat, which is an advantage when the peasants arrive +at the happy time for carrying their corn, as they have only to pull up +the stakes with the five or ten sheaves on them, and they are easily +carried. Whilst on the subject of corn-drying, it is a most remarkable +thing that during the fine weather of the short Norwegian summer the +wind helps materially by blowing what the natives call a _sol-gang_: +the wind goes round with the sun all day, beginning to blow from the +east in the morning, clue south at mid-day, and north-west in the +evening. + +[Illustration: _Rauma River Boat._] + +Having paid especial notice to the Trols, we must turn to the Horn, +which rises on the left side: 4,000 feet is the height of it, and it +goes sheer up out of the valley; in fact, one morning, as we were +sitting by the river, a carriole came hurrying by, and a voice from +it inquired, “Where’s the Horn?” The old fisherman with me stared at +the flying folk in search of information, and pointed straight up over +our heads. The summit has never been reached yet, either by the +Government engineers who surveyed the country, or by Alpine men, who +have all given up the Aiguille Dru as hopeless, or by captive balloon, +which has been proposed. A very likely party from a yacht made a bold +attempt at it, but even some of these looked upon it as a hopeless +case, from the fact that there is a lean-to on a huge shoulder on the +north-west side. Perhaps the most beautiful time of all to see this +wild valley is after the first sprinkling of snow, when the tops are +powdered, which happens when the “iron days” come, the first snow +falling about August 20th. After a little sharp frost the weather +recovers from its first shudder, but by the 29th of September all is +snow again down to the river. Patches of old snow are always lying +in the valley, even during the hottest summer, but much more in the +_couloir_; and, from the immense scale of everything here, the real +quantity is most difficult to appreciate. + +[Illustration: _Romsdal Snow._] + +[Illustration] + +At the foot of this Romsdal Horn is the Rauma itself, the first fall +caused by the rocks thrown down when the _couloir_ was originally +formed; and between the river and the base of the Horn runs the road +through the valley to Gudbransdalen. There are a few sheep here in the +advanced farms, and these, like all animals in Norge, are wonderfully +docile. For some time we heard sounds of music at a distance, but +could never discover either the music or the musician, until one day +a boy was found playing in a barn, or _laave_, on a goat’s horn with +six holes in it, and with a reed mouthpiece. The sound is quaint. This +instrument was intended and used for the amusement of the sheep, and +the boy’s mission was to play to them on it. The sheep and goats here +always follow instead of being driven; and, like all other animals in +this country, they are remarkably tame, never exhibiting the least +signs of fear. This is another pleasant feature resulting from the +kindliness of the people and their domestic happiness. Long may both +remain to them! + + • • • • • + +The sight of the square-sailed craft with one mast and a bold rampant +black stem at once shuts out all intrusive thoughts of civilisation, +for these same vessels—relics of very old days—are seldom seen +anywhere save on the wild shores of Heligoland, working down to Bergen, +or still farther south round by the coast, and up to the town of +Christiania. These craft are mostly from the north of Trondhjem: their +lines are very fine indeed forward, the after part, with quarter-deck, +forming a kind of citadel for the captain. As these vessels come from +the coast opposite to the Lofoden, they are closely allied with the +fishery of that district—the great national fishing ground of Norway, +to which rushes every able-bodied fisherman from Bergen northwards +as far as the North Cape. In the month of February the fish are +in force—principally early arrivals; and ultimately such immense +quantities are gathered together that tradition has handed down to us +as a fact that there are times when a deep-sea line will hardly sink +through them. Lines and nets are both worked with the greatest system. +The take is generally tremendous, and the results lucrative. The fish +are cured as stock-fish until April, when they are split, salted, and +dried on the rocks like Scotch cod. It is a simple process to gut and +hang up these cod-fish two and two across poles; not even salt is +used—nothing but the sea breezes, sun, and wind. Many years ago the +takes were even more enormous than at present, amounting to as much as +16,000,000 fish, or 8,000 tons dried, to say nothing of the cod-liver +oil and roe; but when we consider that these fish are gradually +dispersed over Europe, even 8,000 tons would soon go during the period +of a continental Lent. About April most of the fishers return home, and +are ready for any chance of herrings, which are as great a blessing to +the Norwegians as to the Scotch and Irish. + +There was a very striking instance of an old custom in one of the +outlying fjords, where the fashion of bygone centuries is still +faithfully kept up. At the entrance of the fjord is a boat, in which is +stationed the watcher, with a horn or bugle. As soon as the herrings +are descried the watcher, or rather the look-out, stands up in the bow +of the boat and sounds his horn. The notes are quickly caught by the +anxious longing ears on the beach, the boats put off, and soon the +herrings feel that they are “fish out of water,” and will ere long +be adding much to the happiness and support of all the _bönder_ and +agricultural peasantry of the neighbourhood. + +[Illustration: _Making for the Fjord._] + +Near our herring scene was a well-to-do but scattered hamlet, for +it could scarcely be called a village; and, having visited some of +the good people, who were much interested in the foreigners—N.B., +it is a curious sensation when it first dawns upon the mind of an +Englishman that he is a regular foreigner in the eyes of others—we +came to the conclusion that, all in all, the Norwegian _bönder_, as +a class, are more comfortably provided with the good things of this +world than any other of similar position. Their outdoor life brings +sound health; they work hard, especially the women; and their reward +is abundance. Their farms produce all they require to eat, drink, and +even wear. In the fine weather they work for internal comforts; in +the bad winter weather they provide for external wants in the form of +carding, combing, and weaving in their houses, and making _vadmel_, +or homespun—a material in which “shoddy” is unknown, and for which +“everlasting wear” is the best name. They have their ponies, their +boats, a wholesome love of God, and veneration for true, practical +religion. Their houses are of their own building—sound, solid, and +warm. There is no money greed amongst them, until spoilt by tasting +the fruit of the tree of civilisation, and then the reaction is all +the worse. Another great blessing that remains to them is, that there +is no tendency to extravagance, no wish to launch out in competition +with their neighbour. A peaceful, contented, simple life seems to them +the _summum bonum_: this they possess, and are careful not to part +with. Until savings-banks were introduced they really had no use for +money, and when they acquired silver, instead of investing it, they +had something new made of it, in this respect strongly resembling the +old Dutch farmers, who were sometimes quite at a loss to know what +they should have made next. The latter, indeed, went so far as to have +candle-boxes, as well as other domestic utensils, of silver. Again, +Norwegian servants are in good relationship with their masters and +mistresses: much kindly feeling exists, coupled with a sense of duty +and a proper regard for relative position, which is never forgotten. + +We have mentioned the “home-madeness” of everything in a Norwegian +farmer’s house; but we have yet to refer to the woodwork supply, +namely, sledges, agricultural implements, _stolkjærs_, rakes, scythe +handles, carrioles, tankards, teenas (written _tine_), butter-boxes, +and bedsteads. These last-mentioned items are the worst things +produced in the country. The beds are all too short—never are they +long enough. It seems as if the Norwegian has not quite grown out of +the idea that in sleep the body should be bent up with the knees to +the chin, and in the Isle of Skye tradition assigns to the Norsemen +certain stone graves composed of nearly square slabs. The only way in +which a tall traveller in Norway can avoid pushing his feet through +the footboard is by bending his body up. The best carrioles are built +at Drammen and Christiania, but they are advanced specimens, with +springs; and springs are considered a little foppish, as well as liable +to break, length of shaft being all the spring required. When these +vehicles have to go on to steamers or large boats—a very frequent +necessity, as the whole seaboard is constantly incised by fjords and +arms of the sea—it is usual to take off the wheels, when the body is +soon removed. Where rivers have to be crossed, and a small boat only +can be procured, the best way is to bring the latter side on to the +carriole, place a plank with one end on _terra firma_, and the other +on the gunwale of the boat, where the wheel of the carriole nearest to +the shore should ultimately go. The object of this is to run the wheel +along on this plank to ship the carriole in the boat. This done, there +is still a difficult part to be performed: the river has to be crossed, +and if once the balance is lost, all is over. The rush of the river +is very strong in parts, but even a kind of race makes no difference. +A pull on one side, then a shoot and a pull on the other, and smooth +water is reached, safety insured, and the carriole is over. Sometimes +a river may be forded, but great care should be taken, as the want of +local knowledge may in a moment cause a loss of life, or at all events +a ducking. + +We were once fording a river when Old Kyle, our blind dog, was +travelling very comfortably in a dog-bag, or _hund sac_, under the +carriole. The excitement and novelty of the ford made us forget our old +pet, and the first hint we had of his discomfort was the sorry sight of +the dog vainly endeavouring to stem the current, while the only way of +recovering him was by wading back. The carriole is used for everything; +even the post-carrier is a carriole-driver, and is provided with a +huge leather bag or portmanteau, with an iron rod running through it, +and padlocked at the end. The postman carries a revolver, more as a +staff of office or official status than anything else, for no one ever +hears of such a thing as a robbery in this part of the world. The last +few years have brought about a very great facility of communication in +Norway, for which all travellers are much indebted to the energy of the +Government. One can telegraph to any part of Norway for tenpence, and +the stations are numerous—surprisingly so, when the extent of country +and sparseness of population are considered; and for English travellers +the convenience is very great, because almost all the telegraph-station +masters speak and write English well. + +[Illustration: _Shipping a Carriole._] + +The woodcut (see page 55), with the sea-houses close to the water and +_jægt_ lying close in, shows the character of the country round that +beautiful spot in the Hardanger fjord generally known as Rosendal, +a place of great interest to the historian as the last seat of the +Norwegian nobility. Nestling in a wood on the rising ground beyond the +seashore lies this baronial residence, the home of the “last of the +barons.” Baron Rosenkrone still lives there, and in this secluded spot +art has been cherished and loved, for Rosendal possesses a collection +of pictures which is considered the finest in Norway. Who would +expect, after trudging for nine hours over the snow expanses of the +Folgefond, and rapidly descending on the Hardanger fjord, to find there +such examples of highly civilised life? + +Close to this point is the island of Varalsoe, famous for its sulphur +mines. It lies out of the regular beaten track, but is sometimes +visited by the _Argo_ when the steamer is ordered to call for a +freight. On such occasions the vessel is naturally light, and the first +shoot of ore sent into the hold from the shipping pier above is, of +a truth, a shock to the strongest nerves; the rattle and bang of the +first few waggon or truck loads would startle any one, and make him +fancy they would go through the ship’s bottom and sink her. Not so, +however: the people here understand their work, and it is not by any +means the first time they have shot ore into an empty hold. May it not +be the last! + + +[Dropcap caption: _Grave-board, Mølmen Churchyard._] + +The Gudbransdalen valley is characterized by an immense _vand_, or +lake, which is the source of the two rivers Rauma and Logen, the former +running south-east, and the latter north-west into the Christiania +fjord. Coming up from the Rauma valley, it was twilight as we reached +the plateau of this upper valley, lying about 4,000 feet above the +sea—a vast mass of far-stretching moorland, with heather, matted +cotoneaster, and every variety of berry, in all the prismatic colour of +the west coast of Scotland, but more vast, mysterious, and weird; and +like witches looming moodily away from anything with life, we came ever +and anon on some bleached relic of the grandeur of those noble Scotch +firs which now seem fast fading away into mere skeletons and dried +bones, the fibre in many cases appearing twisted like the strands of a +rope, as though the dissolution had been one of agony and torture. + +Soon after passing a monolith supposed to have been erected to the +memory of Sinclair and his Scots we approach Mølmen. Judging from +its appearance on the map, any one would fancy it to be a town. Such, +however, is not the case, for it merely consists of a church school, +open on alternate Sundays, and a station, or farm, for the convenience +of travellers. Within the last few years this station has greatly +improved. We arrived late in the evening, and, feeling very chilly, +huddled up to the fireplace. As we inquired from the _pige_ what +_aftenmad_ we were likely to obtain, from the depths of the dimness +of darkness muffled peals came from under a heap of “somethings” in a +long parallelogramic case, but really a bed, containing the mistress of +the house, and the muffled peals were to summon a supper for us, and +quickly. So delighted were we get it, that we said “Tak for mad” before +we began, instead of waiting till we had finished. + +The church is of wood, larger than most Norwegian churches, and has a +spire with four turrets, each with an elaborate weathercock. Mølmen +must at one time have had weathercock on the brain, for there is one +at the end of the roof, another on the top of the spire and on each of +the turrets, and even one on the lych gate. This crop of ironwork is +accounted for by the fact of there having been iron works at Lesje, +some seven miles farther to the eastward. Passing through the lych +gate, which is ponderous, the grave-boards attract attention from their +variety; one in particular had the novel feature of a weathercock on +the top, and at the back might be seen quite a contrast in sentiment—a +small simple iron cross firmly mortised into the solid rock. + +[Illustration: _Interior of Mølmen Church._] + +Entering the church, the general appearance is most striking, very +quaint old carving, rudely painted—most comically rudely painted, +especially on the rood screen, which is above—running from the pulpit +to the two pillars in the centre, through which the altar is seen. The +church floor is strewn with juniper tips, and the altar covered with +a white linen cloth, whereon were two large candlesticks, which are +lighted in the great festivals. The panels of the altar are painted in +rather good colour, the back of it being of a slate colour; and, on the +right side of it, standing back, is the carved stall for the use of +the bishop when he visits the district. On the rood screen, over the +centre, are the arms of King Christian V., with supporters, and above +these a large but very uncouth figure of the Saviour on the cross, +with I. H. S. above. On each side is a figure rudely carved +and painted, as is the case with the pulpit. There are traces, too, of +the delightful annual custom of these good people, who, when the summer +bursts suddenly and joyfully upon them, and the flowers come rapidly +out, cull the earliest, and take them to the church as first-fruits of +thankful joy. After viewing the front of the altar we went round to the +back of it—the Sanctum. This was a treat. There we found old silver +chalices and curious cases for the sacred wafers; for these good people +consider the form of worship immaterial, if the spirit be sound. The +size of the wafer is about one inch and a quarter in diameter. + +A very fine old vestment is still worn for the communion; it is richly +brocaded, with a large purple cross on the back, and in the centre +of this is a brass crucifix. The verger said it was a pity to have a +new one until this was worn out. It certainly wears well, for it has +been in constant use ever since the Reformation. The great feature, +however, has yet to be noticed. A curious instrument is used as a +persuader during the service: it consists of a pole, painted red, about +eight feet long, with a knob at each end. On inquiring the use of this +instrument and for what ceremonial, the verger, with surprise at our +ignorance, said, “To wake the sleepers.” How? “Here, sirs,” continued +he, placing his hand on his waistcoat, as indicative of the best place +to tilt at effectually. The reader will be glad to know that the knobs +did not betray much sign of wear. + +We must now return to the station, which is associated with greyling +in the river, and wood-carving executed during the winter months in +the farmhouses—spoons, bellows, tankards, mangel brats, and culinary +implements. It was our good fortune to meet at Mølmen a delightful +Austrian—his grey and green jacket informed us of that fact—but his +general information was an oasis for travellers. A great botanist, +it was delightful to go out with him, especially as he was, at that +moment, perfectly mad about saxifrages and the flora of Norway. Then, +again, “flies.” He had been up the North Cape, to the Namsen and other +large rivers, and some one had given him a few Namsen “Butcher’s” +salmon flies of immense size. These he showed to us; and we, finding +him so interested, asked him if he would like to see our collection +of _natural_ flies. “Certainly.” The flies we exhibited were the +mosquitoes we had shut up between the leaves of note-books when the +flies had been thickest in our tents on a warm evening. “Ah!” exclaimed +our Austrian, “ten tousand of dose fellows did I swallow at the North +Cape, and they bite all the way going down.” Happily, however, he had +survived. We also met here a distinguished Prussian—large forefinger +ring, _très Prussien_—whose favourite exercise at the festive board +astonished us. Mountain strawberries at Mølmen are a treat, and at +dinner we had some. Our aristocratic foreigner plunged them into a +tumbler of sparkling wine, but alas! how did he extract them? The +Count must have been in a lancer regiment, for with a tent-peg action +he tried to pig-stick each strawberry and raise it to his mouth with +his toothpick, persevering until the tumbler was emptied, and the last +strawberry pierced and entombed. + +[Illustration: _A Norwegian Salmon Stage._] + +In passing along the shores of the fjords a kind of stage may be +seen occasionally, which would give the casual observer an idea of +preparations for pile-driving; but the object of this construction +is for quite a different purpose. It is one of the dreadful means +used by the Norwegian farmers to obtain salmon. The system is +this:—_Netting_.—A man sits in the perch-box; the net is laid round +to the buoys as indicated in the previous illustration, and, as soon +as the fisherman (if he may be designated by that name) sees a salmon +underneath and within his net limit, he hauls in, and generally gets +him. The salmon, being in the habit of returning to the same river or +_fos_, are sometimes the victims of an inquiring mind in the following +manner:—The Norwegian whitens the face of the rock, or places a light +plank so that the fish’s attention may be attracted, and, whilst making +up his mind as to whether it may be right or wrong, his fate is sealed, +and he will soon be hung up in the farmer’s house, with two sticks +across his body. After it has been rubbed with sugar and smoked in +juniper fumes it is certainly a goodly adjunct to a breakfast; but when +the weary traveller finds only smoked salmon, he cannot help thinking +of the days when he was young, and had fresh meat regularly. + +[Illustration: _Hardanger._] + +When coming down from the Haukelid Pass out of Sæterdal to the +Hardanger, we had not time or space to refer to a very beautiful +passage between the two, which we will now notice. We came from +Haukelid a little gloomy; we had seen a corrie which had been the +scene of a reindeer slaughter, or Glencoe, the result of misplaced +generosity on the part of an Englishman to a Norwegian. The former had +given the latter a double-barrelled breech-loading rifle, with a good +battue supply of cartridges. The consequence was that the local Nimrod, +assisted by a confederate, drove a herd of reindeer into a _cul-de-sac_ +corrie, and then shot down more than twenty. This was worse than +the friend who gave his river watcher a salmon rod and flies; the +_elve-wakker_, or keeper, fished hard with fly and worm, and with much +glee wrote to his lord and master in England that he had caught “plenty +salmons, or _stor lax_,” and the river would soon be ready for him, but +he would like two new tops brought out for the rod so kindly given to +him. + +Journeying from Haukelid, we came down to Roldal, where the pass +combines to produce a scene of great grandeur. The old wooden bridge, +the blustering torrent falling with ponderous leap down into a chasm +below, the serenity and peace of the distant snow range, and the placid +lake far, far below, formed a combination which causes regret that it +can never be adequately depicted on paper. The scenery is immensely +grand, the living proportionately sparse and meagre. It is the old +story, the quotation of Bennett’s Guide-book—“Magnificent waterfall at +back; only two wooden spoons at this station.” + +A tremendous zigzag is being cut by the Government in connection with a +road which is ultimately intended to be opened over the pass. From the +top of this zigzag a very commanding view is obtained of the valley of +Seljestad and the Folgefond—an immense expanse of snow. We were very +tired on arriving at Seljestad, and could get nothing but a recorked +bottle of beer, which must have been put back several times on being +declined by previous travellers. There was nothing to eat or drink; +but such a _blakken_, or Norwegian pony, was put into No. 3 carriole, +with the proprietor up as _skyds_. Having gone about five miles, the +owner thought that the animal was not showing what he could do, or +even up to his fair average; so, taking the rope reins, he stood up at +the back of the carriage, grunted at him, and with deep growlings of +“Elephanta!” sent him flying at a tremendous pace downhill, and, when +far down the valley, we flew along the road through the spoondrift of +two fine falls. The owner explained that the pony hated being called an +elephant, and always went better when a little abused. + + + + + VII. + THE FJELD AND REINDEER. + + OPENING DAY FOR REINDEER—AALESUND—AURORA + BOREALIS—INQUIRING FRIENDS—BERRY VARIETIES—TO THE + FJELD—NECESSARIES—REINDEER-FLOWERS—TO THE TENTS—THE + DOGGIES—DANJEL AND OLE—MØLMEN—THE ARRIVAL—OUR + CONCERT—PTARMIGAN—REINDEER SPÖR—TROUT-FISHING IN THE + VAND—GOOD SPORT—THE TENTMASTER’S STORY—PASSOP AND THE + STOR BUCK—SNOW-WORK—SÆTER LIFE—MARITZ’S LONELY STATE—HER + KINDLINESS—THE SWIZZLE-STICK—THE OLD BOAT—THE EAGLE AND + NEST—REINDEER AND RED DEER HEADS—THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING + THEM—INDFJORD—OLE ERIKSON BOE—HALVER JACOBSEN—INGEBORG AND + THE STEEN-SKREED—INGRANA’S ACCOUNT—INGEBORG’S FUNERAL—RUNIC + STONE—GRAVE-BOARDS—ISTERDAL—THE MEAL-MILL—OLD KYLE—A + SIMPLE-MINDED COW—OLE FIVA—AIGUILLES—VALDAL—THE SOURCE OF + THE ISTER—EXPEDITION TO A FROZEN LAKE. + + +Ever and anon we arrive at some landmark in life which stands out +prominently for the rest of our terrestrial journey. Perchance it +is one that, surrounded with pleasant associations, invites us back +to chew the cud of past happiness, and rises before us as an angel +of comfort from time to time, when shadows, storms, or squalls of +trouble cross our path, or the hurry-skurry of advanced civilisation +has ruffled our calmer nature, and we have become irritable and +overstrained, liable to spontaneous combustion of temper, and less +kindly than usual. Such a happy landmark is “after reindeer” in +Norwegian travel. Let us, then, look back to it, and enjoy it over and +over again; and may others derive equal pleasure from similar outings! + +The 1st of August is the opening day for reindeer-shooting. About the +end of July the enthusiasm gradually increases, everything is supposed +to be ready, lists are gone over, fine weather hoped for, and the 1st +of August eagerly anticipated. On our way to Gudbransdalen we stopped +at Aalesund for the night; and what a night! We had hardly settled +down to our _aftenmad_, or supper, before a servant came in to tell us +of a grand sunset, which she thought the English gentlemen would like +to see. We all rushed up-stairs, clambered through attics, and finally +came out on a kind of platform; and what a sight met us here! The whole +heavens were bathed in the most astounding crimson; at our feet lay +the harbour of Aalesund, and on the horizon, out in the Atlantic, long +ultramarine-purple islands. It was sundown in its most intense arctic +grandeur, with a few golden scraps of cirri in the upper heavens. So +impressed were we that we mused in silence; adjectives had no power of +expression; and we tacitly admired with awe and reverence. + +On our return to the table some Cantabs had just arrived, and finding +we were compatriots, the all-prevailing subject of the latter days of +July rose to the surface. “Were we going after reindeer?” was followed +by a sort of mitrailleuse volley of cognate inquiries. They had heard +of three Englishmen—did we know them? as they were anxious to meet +them before starting. At last the suggestion was thrown out, “Had we +not better go another time?” We thought not. Then they divulged the +name of him they sought, and the Patriarch revealed himself, quoting +the _Duke’s Motto_, “I am here.” General rejoicing, fraternity, and a +_skaal_ for good sport succeeded, and the next morning we all started +off together by steamer for our happy hunting-grounds. + +On July 31st we made our head habitable quarters on the high plateau of +the Lesje Vand, and had time to enjoy the detailed study of the upper +flora and berry varieties, which are numerous in this country. Thus:— + + _Tyttebær_ Red, juicy berry. + _Blaabær_ Blueberries. + _Multebær_ Juicy, hard berry of raspberry form. + _Kirsebær_ Cherry. + _Bringebær_ Raspberry. + _Björnebær_ Bearberry. + _Winborr, Ripsbær_ Currants. + _Stikkelbær_ Gooseberry. + _Silbær_ Black currant. + _Jordbær_ Strawberry. + +[Illustration: _Snow Plough._] + +The ponies were packed with their curious birch-twig saddles, +waterproof sheets for cork bed, deer-skins and air cushions, +provisions, a small spade to trench round the tents, cooking canteen—a +great work most cunningly carried out by the Tentmaster—lint, +chlorodyne, &c.; steel nails to screw into boots for ice-work, +_vanters_, or mufflers, long flannel night-shirts for cold, blue +spectacles for snow, a little glycerine, telescope, compass, &c. Our +beds were made with Iceland moss, waterproof sheet, cork mattress, +and skins, and we slept in thick socks, gloves, and long flannel +night-shirts with hood to keep off the flies. Hans Luther was with +us, and Trophas the faithful, the doggie with sharp nose and curled +tail. The tents had been sent up to the fjeld before us, and, after +about six hours’ walk, we spied the white dot—the tent. In making the +ascent to the upper plateau the gradual decrease of vegetation was +very noticeable, culminating in the reindeer flower, or _Ranunculus +glacialis_, which is much liked by the reindeer. Happy and buoyant with +hope the hunter who finds the flowers nibbled off! Their peculiarity +is to grow most freely where the snow has melted back. At the tents we +found Ole of Lesje, whose first news was that he had seen a herd of +about fifty reindeer, after which an important subject was mooted: a +glutton had been seen the night before near the tent. Danjel Kulingen +had been thirteen years after reindeer, and had never seen one. On +the other hand, Hans Luther had shot one, and there was a skin at +the station at Mølmen, which reminded us that at fishing inns on the +banks of the Thames larger fish are seen stuffed and glazed than the +itinerant angler generally hooks and lands. + +All at once the dogs, three in number—Trophas, Barefoed, and +Storm—opened a barking chorus; but we did not seize our rifles, as +the telescopes revealed our Paymaster-general, who was returning from +his _chasse de bagage_, which he had happily recovered. The aneroids +registered 5,000 feet, and all was full of promise, save the one fact +that the rifle of our friend was below in the valley. The despair +and ferocity engendered by this unhappy discovery were soon dispelled +by good food, and plenty of it, a word of comfort and sympathy, and +last, not least, a little whiskey, after which he took a siesta in his +tent, on which we wrote “Requiescat in pace,” and left our cards as a +welcome. Being Sunday, we made it quite a day of rest, and revelled in +the flora, mosses, and lichens of our new ground, always, however, with +an eye to the glutton, which evidently had a day of rest also, as he +never appeared. In the evening, at 6.30, we had a hunters’ chorus, for +the Norwegian Sunday terminates at six o’clock. + +[Music: NORGES HERLIGHED. + + Words by I. N. BRUN. + + Bor jeg paa det høje Fjeld, hvor en Fin skjød en Ren med sin Rifle + paa Ski-en + hvor der sprang et Kildevæld, og hvor Ryperne pladsked i Li-en. + Jeg med + Sang vil mane frem hveren Skat som er skjult udi Klip-pernes + Rif-ter, jeg er gladog rig ved dem, kjøber + Vin og klare-rer Ud-gif-ter. Klippens Top som Gra-nen bær, muntre + Sjælers + Fri-sted er, Ver-dens Tummel ned-en-for til min sky-høje Bo-lig ej + naar.] + +Ole sang “Saga’s Hall.” Luther, with his sweet high tenor, was very +good, and eventually a bouquet was thrown to him. The delicate +attention seemed to be appreciated, although it was composed of straw +and red labels from the tin cans of our preserved meats, &c. Then we +had a bar or two of “God save the Queen,” and so into our tents. The +next day we made a long journey, with much snow and heavy winds. In +the afternoon we had to swim the ponies through a river—a very pretty +sight indeed—the only drawback being clouds of mosquitoes. They were +perfectly awful, and no avoiding them. We were even thankful to think +we should not have them at home for a continuance, for the remark that +we should soon get used to them afforded no comfort. + +At this altitude we found the ptarmigan sitting about. The shooting +of these birds does not commence until August 15th, and they seemed +to know that we, as Englishmen, would not shoot before that day. So +we actually threw stones at them, and one old bird, when knocked off +the top of a large stone, positively came back to see what it was all +about. Soon after this we discovered _freske spör_ (new deer slots). +The dogs livened up for a time. All soon settled, however, into steady +travel again. Danjel was telescoping continually, but frequently a +supposed reindeer turned out to be only a stone in the snow, till at +last the Patriarch ventured to remark that there were “mange stor steen +in Gamle Norge, og maget god telescope jagt,” which Danjel understood +to suggest real deer instead of stones, and we should all have +preferred, as it was one of the objects of our expedition, shooting +reindeer to telescoping them. They are very wild, and quite justify the +old saying, “Mange dyr, mange øine” (many deer, many eyes). Our course +now lay from Buvalden due north, and we started in good time from +Thorbvu for the snow ranges, leaving the horses and baggage below, we +going as light as possible, with our own food for the day, and plenty +of goat cheese. At lunch Danjel explained to the Patriarch that he +should eat much goat cheese, for if he eat sufficient he should partake +of the nature of that saltatory animal, and in time jump cleverly and +boldly from rock to rock—an accomplishment in much requisition during +our wanderings. + +[Illustration: _Snow Pass: Thorbvu._] + +An incident of piscatorial interest occurred here. We sent a hunter, +who had never had a rod in his hand before, down to a lake, or _vand_, +to try for some trout. In an hour he came back with about twenty, +averaging nearly one pound each. Of course he was not casting, or +“flick” would have been the fate of the fly; he only trailed. Still his +success was perfect, and he was delighted with his new sport. + +The male reindeer are called _bucks_, the female _ko_ and _semle ko_, +and the young _kalve_. In the daytime they roll in the snow, and if +they sleep at all, it is certainly with one eye open. Having seen +and telescoped many large stones, and taken them for deer, there was +a strong inclination to inquire more closely as to the probability +of sport, and a suppressed anxiety to hear a definite opinion as to +our chance of a shot, if nothing more. The hunter must be patient, +persevering, careful not to appear even as a moving speck on the +interminable expanse of virgin snow, and take his sport quietly, for +better or worse. Our Tentmaster had made many expeditions, had seen +many deer, and even when his chance came an impetuous—shall we say +friend?—rushed out in front of him, fired, and missed. So tradition +said. We are glad to state that this did not occur during our present +trip. His successes arrived, however, after a time, and never will he +forget the day when he killed his first reindeer. Long may he live to +kill more! + +Let us here give his first experience; so pray silence for the +Tentmaster. + + + THE TENTMASTER’S FIRST TRIP, AND HOW HE TRIED TO GET + A REINDEER. + + “In the year 1863 I ascended the glorious Norwegian fjelds for the + first time to hunt reindeer. What a charm is conveyed in these + words, ‘first time!’ The first salmon or trout caught; the first + grouse or partridge shot; the first meet at cover and burst with + the hounds; the first climb up the snow peaks of Switzerland; the + young beauty’s first London season, or first night at the opera + or ball; and last, not least, first love, all have a peculiar zest + never afterwards equalled.” + +(N.B.—The Tentmaster is rather sentimental.) + +[Illustration: _After Sport._] + +“I experienced this feeling in August, 1863, when, journeying up the +magnificent Romsdal valley, on arriving at a station I noticed a +splendid head of reindeer horns lying outside the station-house. On +inquiry I found that a Norwegian hunter had brought them down from the +fjelds. I lost no time in searching him out, and soon arranged for +an expedition together. I had no provisions, tents, spare clothing, +or other appliances which my subsequent experience has shown to be +requisite, but began the ascent with the meagre store of some raw +coffee berries, _flatbrod_, cheese, and biscuits. The hunter (Dan I +call him) could not speak English, nor I Norske; but we got on pretty +well by pantomime. After a pleasant but toilsome three hours’ walk +through the grand scenery peculiar to the Norwegian fjelds, Dan’s +hound Passop (the reindeer hounds are held in a leash two or three +yards long) suddenly squatted down in great excitement, with his nose +steadily pointed to a huge rock about three hundred yards distant, +and gave a peculiar low whine. Dan was down immediately, and signalled +me to do the same. He was certain that reindeer were close at hand, but +a full half-hour’s telescoping failed to disclose their whereabouts. +Nothing could induce Passop to move; his sniffing nose kept steadily +in the direction of the rock; while he occasionally gave us a most +intelligent, imploring look, as much as to say, ‘Do something.’ Unable +to see any trace of deer, we dare not move. Dan thought that wherever +they were, there they would remain some time; so, with faithful Passop +on the watch, we determined to have lunch. Not a bite, however, would +Passop touch—not even _flatbrod_ thick with butter. There he squatted, +with his nose still to the rock, the model of a watchful sentinel. +Lunch finished, Dan began telescoping, and soon discovered the cause of +Passop’s agitation. The tips of antlers were visible above the rock, +and in distinct relief against the sky. They were perfectly motionless; +but we were quite sure, after many exciting inspections with the +telescope, that a large buck was resting behind the rock. As the wind +was not very favourable Dan said we must be quite still, and remain +till we saw a movement. In my innocence I wished to smoke a pipe, but +Dan forbade it. The excitement was increased by Dan saying it was a +large buck, probably an outlying sentinel, and that a herd of deer was +not far off, which proved correct. Our patience being exhausted, Dan, +much to the delight of Passop, ordered a forward crawling movement; +and, with time and patience, we got within eighty yards of the rock, +where we determined to halt and wait. The tops of the antlers were +still motionless. Poor Passop was trembling with excitement, and his +companions much the same. In this position another half-hour passed, +when suddenly Dan exclaimed, ‘Look!’ Passop became very uneasy, when +we had the pleasure of seeing a splendid _stor buck_ rise up and stand +before us broadside, with his head turned to where we were crouching. +Passop behaved splendidly, remaining perfectly still, while I shall +never forget the expression of his eyes, and his occasional side glance +at us, as much as to say, ‘Now then.’ Resting my rifle on a convenient +rock, I took aim steadily behind the shoulder, pulled the trigger, and, +to my horror, it missed fire. The buck heard the snap, and started off +at a rattling pace; Passop struggled wildly to get out of the leash; +and Dan exclaimed, ‘Gud bevar mig! Give me my riffel.’ I handed it to +him, he recapped it, and fired at about two hundred yards’ distance +without effect. Passop collapsed, and the translation of his thoughts +into English was indicated by the expression of his face, ‘I have +done my best!’ No doubt he had a clear conscience; and work being +finished, he commenced eating _flatbrod_ and butter with great zest. +The inevitable pipes were now brought out for consolation. Wonderful +weed—exquisite after a success, soothing after a defeat! + +[Illustration: _Near Ovendal: after Reindeer._] + +[Illustration: _An Anxious Moment._] + +[Illustration: _Thorbvu: Encamping._] + +“We now made our way to a stone cave to pass the night, where we +had coffee and _flatbrod_. The cave was just large enough for me to +creep in, and I passed the night on dried moss, sleeping soundly till +daybreak. The night being very fine, Dan took up his quarters outside +the cave, had coffee, and slept soundly on dried moss too. After +breakfast we started, Dan being sure we should find the herd. At one +o’clock we discerned them, fourteen in number, taking their noonday +siesta on the snow; but in vain we tried to get within shot. Next day +we saw herds of deer, but without being able to get within range on +account of the quantity of snow. On the third day I returned to the +station, much delighted with my first reindeer-hunting experiences. +Often as I have been on the fjelds since, the three days of 1863 have +not been surpassed, although + + NO DEER WAS KILLED.” + +[Illustration: _Easing down the Patriarch._] + + • • • • • + +It would be well here to say a few words respecting the tents and their +arrangement. + +A regular _tente abri_ carries two very well. Of course there are +more room and comfort for a single inhabitant; still, for general +travelling, in which luggage may only too truly be described as +_impedimenta_, the tent referred to may be used. Every morning, if the +weather permits, the waterproof sheet and cork bed should be laid out +to dry, and the skins also. The trench round the tent must be well +looked to, the lines tightened, and the ponies tethered, as it is +rather disagreeable to be awakened about two A.M. by a storm +of rain and wind, and to discover your pony, with his linked fore-legs +well tangled in tent lines, doing his best to pull down the whole +concern on the heads of the occupants. Far more delightful is it to be +aroused on a bright, crisp, and fresh summer morning, when, if near a +_sæter_, the cause of it may be the jodelling of a _pige_ in charge +of the cows—Swiss as to character of song, exceedingly Norske as she +calls to them to follow. In the country districts animals follow more +frequently than they are driven. Kindliness is the rural, coercion the +town influence. + +[Illustration: _The Grallock._] + +Many of our readers will notice that under the initial letter at +the commencement of this chapter, the powder-flask and general +arrangement are very much like the old bandoleers still hanging in the +guard-chamber of Hampton Court Palace and others at Portsmouth. They +were most general in Charles I.’s time, and are beautifully shown in De +Gheyn’s costumes of Culverin-men and Harquebusiers. In this case the +bandoleer was made of steel, and it is faithfully rendered, with the +cord by which the whole arrangement was hung over the shoulder of the +hunter. + +By this time we deserve sport. We have travelled far and worked hard +for it. Let us see the result. We had arrived at a great height, at the +snow-fields called Sneebreden, like the Folgefond in the Hardanger, We +had slid, crawled, and struggled, sometimes moving one behind the other +at an angle to reduce our surface, creeping on the crisp, dry, hard +snow, wading rivers of snow-water (very cold tubbing indeed), sloshing +at the edge of the snow, where the reindeer-flowers bloom, and going +through various other incidents of snow travelling, till at last we +arrived at a smart drop, previous to another _fond_. Here the Patriarch +had to be eased down, and his pendent position is only suggested in +the cut (p. 147). Soon Trophas began to draw upon some slots in the +snow, and it was the unanimous opinion that they were “fresh.” Trophas +pulled hard, held back by Ole, who eventually began to half trot. To +the unsentimental mind the action was that of a blind man’s dog eyeing +coppers in the distance; but Trophas was in earnest, and at last the +top of a horn burst upon us, and in a second our fate was disclosed +to us. There was nothing but the gralloch of a reindeer _kalve_ shot +yesterday—one horn, one hoof, &c.—as shown in the sketch (p. 148). +How could it be accounted for? Many suggestions were thrown out, many +improbabilities considered feasible, and at last a matter-of-fact mind +launched the frightful proposition that the glutton seen by Ole near +our tents the night before our arrival was nothing but a native hunter, +who had been stalking us, and had killed the _kalve_ of which the +remains were now at our feet. Nothing daunted, we flattered ourselves +that at all events we had now commenced in earnest, and remembered the +saw that the worst beginning has the best ending. + +[Illustration: _Maritz Sæter._] + + +[Illustration] + +Travellers in Norway are surprised, as they pass through the valleys, +to see so few cows. This is easily explained. They visit this +interesting country when these animals are away, like themselves, for a +holiday; and as every dog has his day, so every Norwegian cow has her +outing, and goes to the grass pastures in the upper plateau to enjoy +life until the white mantle of snow is ready to garb the upper ranges +and drive the cows and _piger_ down to their homesteads and winter +quarters. As already described, these _sæters_, or _châlets_, are high +up, and frequently afford the energetic nature-loving traveller and +genuine hunter cover and shelter, we may almost say comfort—_cum_ +very much _grano_, though. In snow-work it becomes almost luxury to +have one of these to fly to in very bad weather. Tent life is the +most truly enjoyable thing—though there are times when a tent may be +blown down and soaked through—to say nothing of the milk supply at +hand, which is meat and drink at all times, although very filling at +the Norwegian price. This will account for our associating a _sæter_ +so prominently with our snow-work. The one given in our woodcut (p. +149) was inhabited by Maritz, who was there by herself from July to +the beginning of September or end of August, according to the early or +late fall of the snow. The 20th of August generally brings the first +fall of snow in this latitude (63°). During our stay we always slept +in our tents, as we all feared the parasitical ticklings the _sæter_ +would inevitably have afforded us had we given it the chance. All the +summer through the old snow lay round the antiquated wooden building, +and seldom indeed was it that Maritz had any one to speak to, as there +was no road or path of any kind. Still she was all kindness. Did she +not send a pair of cuffs to the Patriarch’s wife, and iron them, so +to speak, after her manner, with the back of a wooden spoon, as she +hummed a plaintive ditty in the minor key? Perhaps she thought the lady +would hardly like to wear them, or else that they might find their way +to some great people. Maritz, too, held to the superstitions of her +ancestors. Thus her porridge swizzle-stick—which is like the West +Indian swizzles, but larger—made from the five-shoot top of a young +fir, was always prepared with a cross cut at the end or swizzling part +of it, to keep the Evil One from turning the milk sour. This, too, she +sent with the cuffs. + +A little outdoor shed, or _laave_, was our general cooking-place, +into which four of us sometimes squeezed, and, as the dogs filled up +the interstices, we were as closely packed as sardines, the whole +being seasoned with the oil of good fellowship. It is wonderful how +invigorating this life is. What a system for a sanatorium! How well +balanced should one become with such fresh air, simple food, and +exercise, and with all the energy and toughness requisite for this +work! It is inconceivable how kindly, obliging, and tender towards +others a life like this makes us. Such was the influence of our +head-quarters. Prosiness must be avoided, however; so another day on +the snow with the hopes of sport, and no buck fever if we get a chance. +Bad landmark that, if perchance it befall us. We hope it will not: if +it do we will forget it. + +For our line the shortest way would be across the _vand_ where the +trout were caught, and Danjel reported the discovery of an old boat +of that class which has no iron nails about it, but all wooden pegs, +and yet not particularly inviting as to safety, as the baling-ladle of +birch wood gave the idea that whoever last used it thought it would be +wanted by the next comer. However, as the hunters were agreeable and +we could all swim, we determined to try it. So off we started, with +ominous gurglings and washings to and fro in the bottom of the boat, +fast, frequent, and furious. The ladle was heartily plied, first by one +strong arm, then by another; but still the water came. This brought to +our remembrance the Scottish Highland custom of baling the boat with +a good large shoe, and that if you only take a pair the power becomes +doubled. + +[Illustration: _A Friend in Need._] + +Happily we arrived safely, and soon started for a long day’s work +over unknown ground. The weather had cleared, and everything seemed +to combine in our favour. There was a hearty good spirit among our +hunters and ourselves, each fellow wishing the other good sport, and +the dogs were keen to a degree. They longed for a revenge after the +affair of the old gralloch, and flattered themselves that, if we were +not unlucky, they would get fresh blood before nightfall. We were soon +beginning to ascend steadily, and about an hour after starting, the +Patriarch, working his way under some overhanging rocks, met with a +surprise. An eagle, a large specimen, swept over his head and shadowed +him. With his rifle in its case and across his back, the noble bird +was safe, and the Patriarch delighted. Must there not be a nest? Yes, +there was. Rough sticks and the lightest of down feathers were all that +it was made of—rude, simple, and, one would think, uncomfortable for +so grand a bird. Some of the down feathers were taken as a souvenir, +and now and then brought out and floated, so light are they, in +recollection of our having found one of the noblest of birds at home. + +[Illustration: _The Eagle’s Nest._] + +By mid-day we were out on the open snow, with hardly any rock shelter +for stalking, should fortune favour us. The reindeer, however, were not +“at home;” so we stopped at a suitable rock for lunch. How we enjoyed +it! Old Trophas wagged his tail with a conviction that “no sport, no +food,” would never be his fate as long as there was something left in +our wallets. So we all rejoiced together, winding up with a little +whiskey and hearty wishes for good sport. + +Soon after lunch the tips of some horns were just visible on the +snow-line. A large expanse of snow lay before us, with some small rocks +half-way. Could we reach them? No; so we waited for the chance of the +deer working up our way. Unfortunately they moved in the opposite +direction, and our chance was gone. Still we had seen some, and that +inspired fresh hope. Later in the afternoon we again saw a herd, and +telescoped them for a length of time. Soon after this a second herd +became visible, and it was most interesting to watch their manœuvres, +which we did until they joined and moved off—of course in the opposite +direction. An immense expanse of snow was now before us, and once we +saw four herds of reindeer, and could count about one hundred and +forty. For a long time we had hope, and agreed that if we could only +get one we should be satisfied; but even that was denied, for the four +herds gradually blended and went straight off, leaving us in the most +perfect solitude, reindeerless. + +[Illustration: _Reindeer Head._[5]] + + [5] This head, of forty-one points, is in the collection of Sir Charles +Mordaunt, Bart., at Walton Hall. + +By this time we had a long distance to travel to get back to our tents. +Fortunately the light fades so little that it hardly signifies; still +great care is required to judge of the best footing after leaving the +snow, as the hunter leads, and can go any way, even to rolling down +places like a hedgehog, and sometimes sitting down for a slide. Indeed, +going home becomes a kind of steeple-chase over unknown ground. In such +cases woe and grief must be the fate of the novice. At the highest +elevation we passed an immense boulder, very much like the Logan Stone, +and of similar dimensions, though perhaps larger. On the top of this +was a much smaller one, but of different geological formation. This +gave rise to considerable discussion about the glacial theory, as there +was a non-believer present. What could have produced this remarkable +combination but the action of glaciers passing over the surface, +bearing huge masses of rock from distant parts, and, as the ice melted +away, depositing them? These boulders were found at an elevation of +5,000 feet or more. We also met with a most interesting instance of +pink snow, very marked indeed in colour. All these varied phases of +nature did much to repay us for our disappointment respecting the deer. +This the difficulties of the descent also made us for the time forget, +as Danjel Kulingen was tearing away as hard as he could possibly go, +sometimes letting himself down, then hanging on to the undergrowth of +heather, sliding, rolling, or jumping. We often solaced ourselves with +the idea that if we could only get him on the flat for ten miles for a +finish, we could give him a spin and run him in at high speed. + +[Illustration: _Red Deer Head._] + +Whilst we had been telescoping the deer our Aalesund friend was having +sport. On our return we found that he had been over to our tent to see +us, and had left word of “Sport, sport,” and a message to try for a +meet. This, unfortunately, could not be arranged, or we should have +seen joy depicted on his face when he described to us where and how he +killed his first reindeer. + +The Norwegians believe that the horns of the reindeer, boiled down, +are good for consumptive people. There is no doubt that the reindeer +themselves eat, or rather gnaw them when they are shed, which occurs +in November. The males shed their horns first, the females retaining +them longer. We found several horns partially gnawed through, and, when +we consider the number of deer, there must be some reason why the shed +horns are not more frequently picked up. The same idea of horn soup +for consumptive cases occurs in Scotland, where the horns of red deer +are also found gnawed. One would imagine that the best time for this +_potage_ would be when the horn was first formed, and the “velvet” is +on, or when the horn is being renewed; and during this period it is +very warm indeed, as large arteries run inside the velvet, or horn +skin, and are engaged in depositing bone on the old stems, until the +horns are complete and the velvet fretted off in September. + +The reindeer, like ptarmigan, become white during the winter, and in +their wild state present a great contrast to the sheeplike tameness of +those possessed by Laplanders. The Laps have a regular call for their +tame deer, which generally come at once; but if not, the proprietor has +generally his lasso with him, which is thrown over the animal’s loins, +and he is at once a prisoner. The good travelling pace of reindeer is +well known, being about ten miles an hour, with two hundred pounds +weight at their back. In their wild state their pace was beyond +computation when we were behind them. We could well say that we had +been “after reindeer,” and that is all. The only way to have sport in +such a country as Norway is patiently to settle down to it, without +fixing a time for returning. A river is not always right, nor the water +in condition. So is it with the reindeer hunter: a thousand things +may occur to mar his success. The very wind is sometimes wrong, and +may chop round at the moment when he hopes it will hold on steadily +for an hour or two; while, on the other hand, it may change at some +fortunate moment exactly in his favour. No; there is no royal road to +such sports as these. The charm of uncertainty must at all times attach +to real sport. It must be worked for, and directly the uncertainty +is removed its real charm is gone, and the relish for it dissipated. +The mere act of shooting and killing lasts but a second of time; it +is the surroundings which afford the real pleasure—the fresh air, +the change of scene, the care required in every detail, the sportsman +never knowing but that the very next moment some interesting incident +may transpire which would make the day, hour, and spot a landmark; the +necessity for watching every breath of air, the most delicate zephyr +being registered and measured by the painstaking hunter, as he brings +out tenderly some carefully preserved pieces of the finest floss silk, +or, better far, some of the eagle’s down feathers already alluded to. +Again, the dogs require constant attention; and, to be quite complete, +a coronet of eagles’ eyes—optical all-rounders—would be an assistance. + +[Illustration] + + +Fishing for salmon, and the love which Englishmen have for that +grandest of all sports, have led to the opening up of Norway to the +general traveller. Our first pioneers, finding how importunate were +the inquiries of the new-comers respecting the best spots and methods +for sport, and that the inclination of some led them to try and bid +above others for the waters they had really well earned by their own +energy and perception—all this, we say, tended to make men on board +the good ship _Tasso_ rather _taciturn_. (Excuse the approach to an +unintentional pun.) This, however, is not surprising, for men are +compelled to be reticent when they know the inevitable consequences of +giving details of their sport. Nothing will secure success but earnest +work, patience, and biding your time for the happy combination which +the best rivers can only afford now and then. Why, as we have just +observed, the whole charm of sport would be dispelled if it became a +dead certainty, and a man knew he would kill so many pounds of fish one +day, and none the next. No; like the glorious uncertainty of cricket +and hunting, the uncertainty of fishing is one of its charms; the +average of good and bad is equalised, and the old French proverb comes +in, that “Patience et longueur de temps font plus que la rage.” The +noble salmon has become liable to increased and more subtle dangers +within the last few years, besides his old natural enemies. The +peasants have new means of torture. His natural foes are the bull-trout +and sea-trout, which are the vermin of every river, destroying the +spawn wholesale, and even lying in wait for the moment when the female +deposits her milt, an instance of which came under our observation. +The nets at the mouth of the river are an old institution, but they +should be well constructed and supervised; also the _tine_, or stage, +described in a former chapter, where the _bonde_ is anything but the +“sweet little cherub that sits up aloft;” still it is an old custom, +and we like old customs. So also is the “worm box” which hangs from the +peasant’s belt as he goes for some trout, or anything else that may be +tempted. The worm box is a very primitive construction, its simplicity +being well carried out in the birch twig by which it is suspended, +and the two pieces of leather through which the lid slides. It is a +picturesque relic of old days. + +[Illustration: _Worm Box._] + +We now approach the recent diabolical invention of the “otter,” which, +sad to relate, must have been introduced thoughtlessly by some one +who little knew what damage he was doing when, for his own selfish +gratification, he fell back upon so unlawful and unsportsmanlike +an expedient. Even to obtain food such poaching is unjustifiable. +Certainly enough could have been taken for that purpose by fair means. +It is of no use, however, dilating upon this; the deed is done, and +otters cannot be withdrawn now. If the arm of the law were stretched +forth, “les pommes volées” would become more than ever “les plus +douces.” Then, again, the kindly feeling engendered by good sport and +a certain sense of gratitude frequently leads, at the end of a visit, +to a gift of flies, perhaps even of a rod. In illustration of this let +us repeat the case of the proprietor of a river who gave to Nils, his +_elve-wakker_, a salmon rod and flies. Early in the season Nils began +to avail himself of the new fishing-gear, and soon wrote home to his +benefactor to say that the salmon were coming up the river, but that +he had broken both tops of the rod, and lost most of the flies; would +the gentleman kindly send out some more flies and tops to get the +river ready for him? We do not think this was done; it could hardly be +expected that any man would like all the salmon he killed to be landed +with more than one fly, perhaps one in his mouth, one in each fin, and +finally one in his tail. What an awful apparition for even the merest +tyro! Such liberality is simply mistaken kindness. This brings to mind +other stories concerning salmon-fishing. + +It is often remarked that “truth is stranger than fiction.” When an +M.P. fishing in Scotland played and held his fish all night, and on +the following morning lost him, and a friend of his afterwards killed +a salmon with one of the M.P.’s favourite flies in his tail, that was +certainly an event, but hardly to be compared with what we are about to +relate. In the large rivers of Norway a fishing may extend four miles, +and the fishing next to that only three, so that different waters are +let to different persons. In the present instance our foreign Izaak +Walton was fishing the very top water, and, as good luck would have it, +hooked a _stor lax_, perchance a forty-pounder. He played him firmly +and steadily, but the fish after a time got the gentleman at the reel +end of the rod through the next water and the next. Hours rolled on, +yet still down they went, and by the next morning arrived at a shallow +part of the river. A Norwegian peasant came up, and, despite the +national dislike to going into the water, plunged into the river, and +walked out with the _stor lax_ in his arms—DEAD, and reported +that he must have been dead for the _last five hours_. Nevertheless he +got him, and a fine fish he was, with one fly in the right place. + +[Illustration: _Fresh Fish al Fresco._] + +[Illustration: _The Stige-steen, or Ladder Rock._] + +The Norwegians have a great admiration and respect for a good +fisherman. One morning, speaking of the average sport of the river, +and referring to that of last year, we inquired if —— were a good +fisherman. Knut answered emphatically, “No; he is a poor man, a very +poor man.” We naturally replied, “But in England he is a very rich +man.” “Ah!” said Knut with strong emphasis, “when he was here he was no +richer than we, but the flies bite him much more.” What contentment! +no envying, although a latent satisfaction creeps out, which decidedly +evinces an undercurrent of thought. + +Trout-fishing has the great charm of taking Piscator into the most +lovely and retired spots. The salmon, as a larger fish, takes us to +a grander scale of nature. The water of the cheerful little trout +stream is changed for the rushing river, and the comparatively low +bank sometimes gives place to a position like that in the annexed +illustration, which was taken from above a grand pool, the Stige-steen, +or Ladder Rock, connecting it with the side of the river. + +Having said somewhat of fishing, let us now turn to the “aldermanic +view” of the salmon, and hark back to a happy day when a lady had +killed a nice fish, about fourteen pounds and a half, which was to be +cooked on the spot: it is well to observe the process and make a note +thereof. Cut the salmon in slices, and boil them for ten minutes; then +let the water in which they were cooked boil on, with the head added; +put in a little fresh butter, pepper, and salt, and serve as gravy +or sauce. With a Norwegian appetite it is perfect, and very simple. +N.B.—Fish killed at noon, served at two P.M. This is fresh +fish, and contrasts most favourably with the frozen salmon which +travels ice-bound to the metropolis of Great Britain. + +Evening is the best time for fishing, and the long twilight, which +helps the enthusiast for trout and salmon fishing at eleven or twelve, +can only be realised by those who know the glories of the North. It +seems a curious thing to take, when travelling, a green blind in order +to exclude the light when wishing to go to sleep; still it is necessary +at first, although Nature is so elastic that she readily adapts herself +to circumstances, when the green blind can be given to some new-comer, +or lent as a passing boon. + +[Illustration: _Casting._] + +One word in reference to the illustration, “A Good Beginning.” It was +our last morning: wind, rain, mist low down—in fact, blowing hard. +No. 3 was up at five A.M., and found the Tentmaster-general +had passed a restless night, every coverlet and blanket being +knotted, twisted, and twined into the most perfect disorder. This +was attributed to the fact that it was his last night that season in +Norway, and his usually placid sleep had been disturbed with Norske +nightmare. He must have been dreaming of trolds and _nökken_, and +fancied that he was gaffing ogres or _bjergtrolds_ instead of fine +clean fish. The weather was the last straw which broke the camel’s +back—he would not go. “You go,” was his rejoinder. So the Patriarch +went; and this was the result to greet his companions when they came +down to breakfast. + +[Illustration: _A Good Beginning._] + + +There is a great charm about the freedom of driving one’s own pony +and carriole, or _stolkjær_, for a long run, or even for a short +excursion; it conduces to the peaceful rest we are all longing for, +and saves one from reminders that at the next station the horses will +be charged for if we do not hurry on. This is rather tantalising when +one is drinking in nature, and realising the fact that each moment is +revealing fresh beauties and developing lifelong impressions—the very +time when one wants to be left to nature and himself. In the excursion +now before us we had our own ponies part of the way, and pedestrianism +for cross country. Our route was from Romsdal, the weird valley where, +on the previous evening, the trolds had been playing pranks in the +following manner:—About 8.30 a tremendously heavy roll as of thunder, +lasting forty seconds, brought us suddenly to the window. The mist was +hanging round the peaks, with cirri-strati across them; down came the +_steen-skreed_, or slip, with a mighty rush; and the cloud was driven +out by the shower of rocks and stone as they came madly down. It was +unusually grand. The sheep boy with his horn ran in, Anna rushed to the +door to see it, and as she came the dust rose up in a cloud as incense +after Nature’s work. Ole remarked that it was a fine shower, and very +impressive it certainly was; still Anna said she did not like it. In +some cases in the winter-time the peasants go on to the ice to avoid +the possibility of these erratic masses reaching them. + +We were soon off to Gudbransdalen, calling as usual at Fladmark—that +lovely spot, beautiful to a degree if you have provisions. Should such +be the case, you certainly must have brought them, for the station +is not one of refreshment, as Mrs. Brassey testified by her anxiety +to regain her yacht, the _Sunbeam_, which is truly a sunbeam to her +friends. Long may it be so to her and her husband and son! + +We must leave the hurly-burly of rocks through which the Rauma +dashes in this part. Rocks the size of detached villas seem to have +been “chucked” about, for this is the only term we can bestow upon +such higgledy-piggledy positions. One can only realise the idea by +imagining one’s self a minute insect in a basin of lump sugar, with a +great rushing river beneath. + +[Illustration] + +Arriving at Mølmen, we found it a most healthy spot, and worth staying +at for a time, as the people are so kind, and the whole surroundings +inviting. Being on a high plateau, the air is perfect, and the place +seems to be more than usually fortunate in its weather. The following +morning, there being no service at kirk, we availed ourselves of the +perfect weather for enjoyment on the hillside. Striking off from the +houses, we sauntered up through the stunted birch and the heather till +the grey rocks became more prominent, the vegetation sparse, the plants +closer to the ground, and then we lay down on the fjeld side. What a +view there was beneath us! The whole scene was a rare combination of +all the prismatic colours so characteristic of Scotland in October. +At our feet was the long Lesje Vand, beyond that the Dovre fjeld, +and we fancied we could see Sneehatten; then, away to the right, +were snow ranges to Storhættan, which is ascended from Ormem. How we +basked in the sunlight and longed for more life on the fjeld! “Why +should we not go to Eikesdal?” said Ole all at once. “That would be +fine: why not?” The idea was caught at. “How long would it take to +walk, Ole?” “Well, eighteen hours if there is no mist.” “Very well, +then; no mist, if you please, and we will do it.” This was a new joy: +eighteen hours’ walk without a house to call at, carrying one’s own +nosebag, and great doubts as to a bed on arriving—more delightful +still! This is enjoyment indeed, though not to every one, perhaps. We +therefore decided to start the next morning at three A.M., provided +there was neither mist on the mountains nor the chance of it. How we +revelled on the journey in anticipation, enhanced as our happiness was +by the beauty of the scene and the grandeur of the surroundings! All +the way down we conversed on our coming walk, interrupted only by a +visit to a farm, where we heard some of the good folk singing. It was +hay-time; the weather fine, with a refreshing breeze that gently waved +the new-cut grass as it hung from the frames, like huge towel-horses, +which are used for drying it. We were invited to enter the farmhouse, +where we found the room tidied up for Sunday, and the family singing +a hymn in their customary devotional manner. There was the usual +three-cornered cupboard; an old gun which had laid low many a good +buck, the powder-flask, primer, and ball-bag were ready for August; +the ivy was carefully trained up the windows inside; and the ale-bowls +and tankards were about the room. It was quite a Norwegian homestead. +One thing was unusual—a musical instrument called a _psalmodicum_, +which is a board painted green with red flowers, about an inch thick +and thirty inches long, with three strings raised on a bridge like a +violin. These strings are played with a bow, also of the violin class, +but different in character. We regretted very much that we could not +persuade any one to perform upon it. + +[Illustration: _Wool Holder._] + +On our return we found the proposed trip emanated from the fact that +a house-painter was going over to Eikesdal, and had been waiting for +clear weather to carry out his object. By the next morning a farmer +from Eikesdal proposed joining us: he knew the way. This completed +our party, and at four o’clock we started, with every assurance of +fine weather. Working up through the stunted birch-trees, we soon +looked over the heights of the Vermer Fos to Storhættan. The Svart-hø +rose behind us, and approaching the snow-line, we came upon the +reindeer-flower (_Ranunculus glacialis_), with its sharp-pointed leaves +and beautiful white blossom. Then the dreary Gravendal opened to us, +wild, bleak, weird, and barren to a degree, with Amra Jura on our +right, directly over Eikesdal, far, far away. About this time there was +a grand solar rainbow. We now got very rough rock-tramping—regular +_couloir_ climbing—and there was no vegetation, the moss being of the +“crottle” tribe, a perfectly black lichen. As we ascended the peaks +were grander. Many reindeer _spör_ were seen, but no reindeer. At the +highest part we found the snow discoloured by a very fine dark gritty +dust; and it is a remarkable fact that this discoloration was the +result of volcanic eruption in Iceland. After the eruption a gale set +in from the W.S.W., which on Easter Monday, 1875, positively carried +the clouds of scoriæ right across Norway. The line was followed even to +Sweden, and corroborated by some peasants who were out when it fell. + +A volcanic eruption in Iceland is a serious matter. One of the worst +occurred in 1783. On that occasion 14,000 persons were killed. In the +eruption of 1875, the vegetation, which provided for 40,000 sheep, +2,000 cattle, and 3,000 horses, was all destroyed. The hay harvest, the +only one in Iceland, was also entirely destroyed. Scoriæ, varying from +fine pumice to pieces the size of two fists, covered its surface from +an inch and a half to eight inches deep. The eruption began about nine +A.M., and when the scoriæ fell there was total darkness. The +air was so highly charged with electricity that staff-spikes held up in +the hand seemed to be in a blaze. + +We soon began to descend a little to a vast plateau. Our provisions had +been fallen back upon every few hours, and were now much reduced. The +farmer looked forward to the plateau as being likely to afford some +_multebær_, a kind of raspberry with a hard skin, but juicy. A good and +most useful man was the farmer. Favoured by the weather, he steered +well, and we soon came to an incline on the snow, where we could make +a long and safe _glissade_. It was certainly a novelty to see us all +flying down. The farmer was the best man, and happily we reached the +bottom in safety. Another hour and we lay down to rest and enjoy our +_multebær_. They were deliciously refreshing. The house-painter, or +_maler_, suggested that there was a _sæter_ somewhere at the head of +Eikesdal which we might try for. “That is just what we are making +for,” said our cheery chief, the farmer; “in about an hour we shall be +there.” On we went, our fatigue being forgotten in the grandeur of the +scenery and the difficulty of picking one’s way, for hopping from stone +to stone absorbs the attention considerably. The time soon passed, +and after we had completed our twelve hours’ walk we had arrived at +some weather-worn, storm-riven, dwarfed, gnarled, and twisted birches, +beyond which, in a _botten_, lay our _sæter_. What an invasion! The +two girls were astonished, but when they heard the voice of the farmer +all was well. Ole immediately ordered a _bunker_, as it is called +in Romsdal; in Gudbransdalen it is termed _rummer coller_. How we +enjoyed our rest after this simple food! A _bunker_, however, should +be described: it is a flat wooden tub of curds and whey, and is handed +to two people. Each person is armed with a spoon, with which it is +etiquette to draw a line across the centre for your _vis-à-vis_ to eat +up to, not beyond; but few Englishmen ever reach the line unless they +are very old hands. + +[Illustration: _Reeb Holder._] + +We were now at the head of the Eikesdal gorge, or valley; a roaring +torrent rushed down the centre to Utigaard; on the left were +steep precipices with a large fall; while the opposite side was +perpendicular, and threatened showers of troll stones. As we descended +we saw many huge masses of rocks which had ploughed their way down, +carrying all before them. To see one of these _lapsus naturæ_ is a very +impressive sight, and makes one hold his breath and think. Passing +through the valley, we noticed some very curious snow shoes, in form +like the square frames on which sea-lines are wound, but with broader +cross-pieces. Birch twigs on each side and over the foot fix them. On +we trudged, having bidden farewell to the farmer, thanked him for his +good services, and had a _skaal_ for Gamle Norge. Finally, we left the +house-painter at his destination, where the old lady told us all about +the dust coming down upon her; and then Ole and myself were alone to +finish the day. We had started at four A.M., and it was now +ten P.M. We at length saw the spire of a church—the kirk at +Utigaard—and we began to inquire for Torstin Utigaard of Utigaard, the +hunter. At last we found his house, but he was on the fjeld. Could we +get a bed anywhere? No, nothing. Ole persevered, and we presently found +comfort. Torstin was expected down from the fjeld that night with an +English gentleman, whose servant most kindly gave me his bed. After +awhile down they came. Enter Torstin, a grand-looking fellow, drenched. +They had killed a _semle ku_, and had left two men behind to bring it +down next day. In the morning they arrived with it, forming the wildest +reunion of hunters. The Finmark dog, quite black, looked a beauty as +he lay by the dead reindeer. “Blenk”—for such was his name—was a +good and trusty servant: neither biped nor quadruped would venture to +interfere with him when he was on duty. It was a splendid group, worthy +of the pencil of a Landseer. + +After the pouring rain of the previous evening, which had continued +through the night, we all had hopes of fine weather for our trip, +and still more did we desire to see, before leaving, Utigaard in the +beauty of sunshine. But no; on arising at about five, we found dirtier +weather than ever; the mist low down; Blenk still keeping watch by the +reindeer which had been brought down; every kind of waterproof oilskin +being looked out; and a great demand for sou’-westers. At last the +_stolkjær_ was packed, and everything ready to go down to the boats. +The baggage on the _stolkjær_ was surmounted by a reindeer head, Blenk +ever in attendance, and Torstin Utigaard of Utigaard leading the pony +as our chief. Then we were off, looking something between fishermen and +smugglers. + +It was with much regret we took our last look at Utigaard as we settled +down in the boats _en route_ for Syltebø. The valley was grand in +the extreme, the mist sometimes breaking up over the sky-line with a +sudden rush, as if thankful to get loose and range over the fjeld with +freedom. Hardly were we under way, and the crew settled down to the +steady-going pace which Norwegians can keep up for any length of time, +when Utigaard burst out wondering who could have been the figures he +telescoped on the snow on the previous day—the fellows who had nearly +spoilt their sport and frightened their deer at the very moment when +they thought they had the “rein” well in hand. What could people be +doing up there? why should they go? who had ever seen any one in that +part of the fjeld? At last the thought flashed across his mind that it +might have been us. Was it? Yes, most undoubtedly it was, but happily +we had unintentionally turned the deer; it was, however, the right +way, so no harm had been done. The deer had been bagged, and we now all +rejoiced together. + +[Illustration: _Eikesdal._] + +As the three boats rowed steadily in solemn procession down the _vand_ +we approached the Vika Pass on the starboard side. At this point the +lake is most imposing, its grandeur much enhanced by the mist, which +is ever changing, ever beautiful in form and intensity. Soon some of +the favourite old Norwegian songs were started, the chorus being echoed +by the other boats. On the opposite side of the Vika Pass there had +been a great _steen-skreed_; and so immense are the surroundings that +it was impossible to realise the extent of the devastation until +we approached the base of it, as it had dashed and lumbered into the +lake; then the huge masses revealed themselves in their unmistakable +proportions, dwarfing our boats to mere insignificant specks by their +side. + +[Illustration: _Volda._] + +Near this spot bears have been seen, and one was tracked only lately. +This led to the subject of bear-traps and “self-shooters,” when the +Tentmaster-general enlarged on the _modus operandi_ adopted by the +postmaster at Sundal. He knew there were bears, and having fully +studied the spot, determined to lay a “self-shooter,” if possible, or +at all events a trap; and this he very ingeniously so arranged that +when the trap caught Master Bruin a red flag should go up: this he +could see with a telescope from the post-office as he sat sorting the +letters. Some people had noticed that the latter operation took much +longer than usual about this time; still no one attributed the delay to +the postmaster’s love of bear-hunting, and they little thought that he +sorted with one eye and watched for Bruin with the other. At last one +day the postmaster saw the red flag. This was too much; the letter eye +immediately joined the fun. He was off at once to the bear, shot him, +and brought him home; and during the year he managed to get four. + +Hard as it rained, we were very sorry when our boat trip drew to a +close, and we felt that we should soon have to bid farewell to Torstin +and Eikesdal Lake, with its many joys, rough life, and hearty welcomes. +We had a glorious walk from the lake to Syltebø, and were glad when +we saw in the distance the white house which was to be our haven of +rest, and to welcome us as friends. Soon after our arrival our host +came in from the river with a good fish; and many a one has been taken +from that stream, in spite of the change which has come over Norwegian +rivers within the last few years. When English sportsmen began fishing +in Norway the _bönder_ attached no value to salmon. They were surprised +to see them caught with such slight rods and tackle; but, as soon as it +dawned upon them that salmon were worth so much per pound, they began +to help themselves by netting them at the mouth of the river, before +they could ascend the stream which the enthusiastic Piscator had paid +a good sum to rent. The natural consequence is that Norwegian rivers do +not afford the sport they once did. + +Whilst shooting at Syltebø, one of my friends found a beautiful +specimen of amethystic crystal of considerable size. From here a +steamer runs to Molde, one of the northern sea-coast centres, and true +to its time the little screw came off the landing-place with hardly +any one on board, for the season was far advanced: most tourists and +sportsmen had returned, and we enjoyed it all the more, as it afforded +us a better opportunity of seeing the people themselves. + +The variety in Norwegian travel adds greatly to one’s enjoyment. In +the present trip we started from a rich expansive valley; thence +we ascended through woods of birch and alder by a torrent’s side, +vegetation became stunted and sparse, mosses gradually disappeared, +and lichens preponderated; then came barren boulders, and, above all, +the everlasting snow. Having attained this, our journey was varied +by a descent to the wild gorge of Utigaard; the Lake of Eikesdal, a +vast body of water, with its grand fall; then again, after the boating +procession, through the valley of Syltebø, by the side of its salmon +river, to the sea; and finally we were on the deck of the bustling +little screw steamer. On stopping at the first place we were surprised +to see a large boat coming off, mushroomed with huge umbrellas, whence +issued the music of Norwegian voices, and evidently those of ladies; +but as they neared the steamer the soft strains ceased, and they +came alongside in silence. Our array of oilskins, waterproofs, and +sou’-westers announced that foreigners were on board. We, however, +considered that this treasure trove should not be a dead letter on +a rainy day, and the Patriarch broached the subject of Norwegian +music, which happily led to an encore of all the boat songs and +many others, reinforced with much gusto by the chorus of oilskins, +waterproofs, and sou’-westers. They were a happy band—all ladies and +no gentlemen—going to a party at the _præstegaard_, some few miles +down the fjord. They assured us the priest would be very pleased to +see us, and give us a hearty welcome. It was with much regret we were +compelled to decline the invitation, especially as it would have +afforded a pleasing episode in our trip, and given us an opportunity +of seeing the _vie intime_ of a Norwegian minister’s home _en fête_. +As their boat left the steamer, they sang one of our favourite songs, +and our modest chorus followed it at a gradually increasing distance +until both faded away. After this cheerful but soaking morning we +comforted ourselves with stories of the fjeld, salmon, and Norwegian +life. Happily the Tentmaster-general was in great force, and, when +called upon for a yarn, responded with “muckle hilarity,” giving us one +of his reindeer experiences. Can we do better than repeat it here? + +[Illustration: _Syltebø: with Farm Implements._] + +First scene, _tente abri_ on the fjeld. Snow close above; in fact, +too much snow for sport. The Tentmaster-general telescoping alone in +the camp, if one may so call two tents. Having had a very hard and +weary stalk on the previous day, he was resting whilst the Major and +Dan went up after deer. Soon after they had settled down to work, the +Finmark dog “Passop” became very uneasy, and so fretted the string by +which he was led that Dan thought he might break away, which would be +sudden destruction to everything; he therefore carried the dog in his +arms. Shortly afterwards, Dan, doubtlessly becoming slightly tired of +carrying the dog, relaxed his hold a little. At that moment Passop +caught sight of a buck, sprang from Dan’s arms, and bolted after the +deer. Dan threw up his arms in despair, and gave vent to several +Norwegian hunting quotations unfavourable to Passop’s future happiness. +One thing was certain—the dog would go till he died from sheer +exhaustion, and Dan would never recover his favourite Finmarker. Dan +soliloquised, and watched long with his telescope, and finally gave way +to grief. The next few hours were very blank and sad—deer and Passop +both gone. In the afternoon, with melancholy thoughts and sluggish +conversation, they began retracing their steps to the camp, which +was about six miles distant. As soon as they were in sight of their +fjeld home the Tentmaster-general came cheerfully to meet them, for he +had seen seven deer steadily going down to a lake, and had anxiously +awaited the return of Passop. No time, however, was to be lost. Off he +went in pursuit alone, with the Major’s rifle. Hardly had he got away +from the camp when he caught a glimpse of more deer—two this time, +both going to the edge. He lay down to watch them, for patience as well +as judgment is required in reindeer work. After some time a strange +sound, like the bark of a dog, came down; but who ever heard the bark +of a dog in the wilds of the fjeld and on the snow? Listening again, in +a few minutes, from behind a huge boulder, came a _stor buck_ straight +on, with a dog close behind. What a chance! Happily the Tentmaster was +equal to the occasion. In the twinkling of an eye the shot was fired, +the buck was hit, but carried his bullet with him, and made for the +water. The dog gaining on him a little, he dashed into the water to +swim for it; but Passop dashed in too, for by this time our hunter had +recovered from his astonishment at the strange dog, and recognised it +as Passop. The ice-water of these lakes is, of course, intensely, cold, +and the dog was obliged to come back: he, however, did not do so until +he had had a good tug at the deer, which by this time had turned on his +side and was dead. A second time Passop tried to reach him, and was +obliged to return; but the third time he got on his back, and sitting +there, held the horns in his teeth. As the dog could not bring him +ashore, what was to be done? By this time the Major had come up, and +determined to swim for him, and tow him on shore. The ice-water was too +cold for him also, and he was obliged to turn back. The deer was too +far out to lasso, even could they lead the line up from the camp. But +_nil desperandum_. Hardly had their wondering got full swing when a +tremendous squall swept down the hillside, caught the deer and Passop, +and they drifted in. The Major made another attempt, and the deer was +landed. They were soon off to the camp, where Dan, with a very sad +heart, was preparing _speise_. When the latter looked up and saw them +coming, accompanied by his beloved dog, his expression soon changed, +and Passop was caught up into his arms as quickly as he had sprung +from them in the morning, while Dan, with a radiant face and his head +a little on one side, turning round to the Tentmaster-general, said, +“Good man, Maget good man.” Passop was made much of, Dan’s happiness +restored, and the one bottle of champagne was iced in the snow, to +drink to “Rensdyr jagt paa hoie fjeld.” It was a great day happily +terminated, and long to be remembered. + + +For some days we had been on the tramp, and arrived at Indfjord. +Thursday, August 20th, 1875, was a sad day there. Returned from a +long tour through very wild, rough districts, where neither food nor +lodgings were to be had, we were settling down for a good night’s rest, +certainly under difficulties, at the house of a good farmer named Ole +Erikson Boe, when the gruesome news came of a disaster in the mountains +above. A tremendous rock crash, or _steen-skreed_, had taken place at +a spot called Sylbotten, some three thousand feet above, where there +were two _sæters_ occupied by two _piger_, who had charge of the cows +belonging to the good people down the valley. We started off at once. +In a more than quiet spot like this, with what a crash does such news +burst upon every one! What sympathy it brings out; what interest in the +details of the occurrence! What sadness marks each face, and how quiet +and subdued all are, though all are talking! + +We pass on, with a little provision in our wallets, and soon come to +some reapers in the valley, working in the fields, with leather aprons +for their protection. We started with Halve Jacobsen, the owner of +the _sæter_, who went up, taking a pony and foal, in case the mare’s +services were required: the foal always runs by the mother. On our sad +mission we could not be otherwise than struck with the joyfulness of +this young animal, its abounding spirits, caprioles, and quirks and +capers. Before arriving at the steep part of the ascent we stopped at +a small outbuilding close to the farm, the front of the house looking +over the Indfjord, with a grand expanse before one, the morning light +shimmering down to the edge of the water far, far below, and all +seeming peace and gladness. At the back of the house, between that and +the _laave_, we found a vastly different scene—pain, grief, and heavy +hearts. What a contrast to the brightness on the fjord side—the sunny +side that was! The anxious group was in shadow, comparatively speaking, +the centre attraction being a roughly made stretcher, on which was +lying, hardly conscious, pale, agonized, and bone-broken, Ingeborg, +Erichsdatter, Griseth. Poor girl! she had been brought down some three +thousand feet by a very steep _sæter_ path—for there was hardly any +road—jogged and shaken, with one leg broken, ribs crushed, and her +face much cut and bruised by the cracking up of the _sæter_ before the +overwhelming force which carried it away. Around her were the _bönder_ +folk, and one poor old woman whose grief seemed beyond consolation. +The autumn was advanced, and the winter coming quickly on, for the +first snow days had begun. She had only one cow to support her: that +was at Sjolbotten, and was killed, so her only hope of livelihood was +for the moment swept from her, as no cow could be got under £5, and +“no siller had she.” What a chance for some rich Samaritan to heal a +broken heart for the small sum of £5! But as “many a mickle makes a +muckle,” so, doubtless, would a new cow be bought by the kindly spirits +of the good Indfjord folk. Their love for each other is a lesson to +even the most civilised among us. Indeed, it is very noticeable that +small communities care for everybody, while large masses notice no +individual—only charitable institutions. + +[Illustration: _Looking across Indfjord._] + +But we have not yet commenced the ascent. The mare leads through the +brushwood, the cheerful foal diverging now and then in the self-conceit +of all young things, fancying they know better than their mothers. It +was a steep climb. The mare slipped; but Halve said it was all right, +she knew the way. The morning was warm, and, as soon as we arrived +at a kind of ledge looking over the valley and fjord, we halted. +What a lovely, or rather, what a grand scene it was! Still there was +no forgetting our mission—no shaking off its sadness. Our present +object, after Ingeborg’s arrival, was to go up and see after her +companion, Ingrana. Our halt was not for long. We had already taken off +our coats, and hung them on a pine-stump. To our surprise, Halve left +his there until our return, and said, when we did not, “You can leave +anything as you like in Gamle Norge.” + +[Illustration: _The Halt at Griseth._] + +_En route_, in three hours we had left our last brier and alder behind, +and were on the plateau of the High Fjeld, and found much _smörgrass_, +so good for cows. As _smör_ is the Norse for butter, it will explain +the name. For a long time we tramped over the _botten_, carpeted with +rich flora; but at the end we saw the _steen-skreed_, or landslip. Some +four or five _bönder_ were already there, and seemed very surprised +to see a foreigner coming up with Halve. A few words of explanation, +and all was understood: one common object in view, that of helping +each other, soon bound us together. Ingrana naturally had not been to +sleep since the disaster. It is difficult to imagine any Norske _pige_ +nervous, but poor Ingrana had been shaken and frightened out of her +wits. Her description, after a little entreaty and patience on the +part of the persuader, ran thus:—Early in the morning Ingrana was +awakened by a heavy rolling sound of thunder, followed directly by a +crash. She rushed from her _sæter_, and, coming out of her door, saw +Ingeborg’s _sæter_ carried away and buried. It is difficult to realise +the feelings of this simple-minded girl, living so solitary a life for +three months. In a moment—a second of time—one was taken and the +other left. Ten cows also were buried; and, no help being at hand, +Ingrana had to go down this lonely mountain with the sad news, leaving +her companion fixed, pinned, and crushed until she could return with +assistance. + +We arrived after three and a half hours’ hard ascent, when some sour +milk that had been left was given us. The Englishman elicited a smile +from Ingrana when, taking the bowl from his lips, his moustache was +white with cream. This was hopeful and a good sign. + +The slip was accelerated by a very large waterspout striking the face +of the mountain, as amongst the rocks which were brought down was a +quantity of sand, and the presence and action of water were palpable, +deep pools being left in many places. The scene was appalling—a +wreck in the wildest sense of the word. Some three-quarters of a mile +of mountain side had come down, carrying all before it—_rammeding_, +as the Norse word is. Huge rocks, a few stunted trees, hardly any kind +of herbage—what a hurly-burly of desolation! Looking across and over +it, we saw the distant placid fjord and open sea. What a contrast, the +peace of one and the turbulence of the other! Still the damage was a +known quantity, every year something of the kind happening, sometimes +with loss of life, sometimes without. The accompanying sketch was taken +from the lower portion, looking upwards. + +[Illustration: _Landslip at Sylbotten; Indfjord._] + +After going over the greater part of this chaos we went back to the +preserved _sæter_, where we were most kindly received, our sympathy +being accepted in the same spirit in which it was offered. Then we +returned. We found Halve’s coat quite safe and undisturbed, and after +the usual time arrived at Ole Erikson Boe’s farm, where we had a simple +repast of good _fladbrod_ and _bunker_, there being no meat here. We +rested, and early in the morning started for Fiva. During the evening +Boe showed me an old Danske Bible, folio size, A.D. 1590, with +large brass clasps. The good folk wanted me to bring my wife to the +funeral, in case the poor girl should not survive. In the morning we +went down to the shore, as we heard the steamer for Molde was coming +in to take Ingeborg thither, should she be still alive. Life was all +but extinct when she was got on board. Ole Fiva and myself started in +a boat for Veblungsnæs, having thanked the good people of Indfjord +for their kind welcome, and they expressing their gratitude for our +interest and sympathy, and reiterating their desire to welcome my wife +at Indfjord. + +The morning was lovely for boat travel; such peace that convulsions +like those we had witnessed seemed incredible. But it was no dream: the +inhabitants of Indfjord, the family of Ingeborg, Ingrana, and the poor +woman without her solitary cow, all were stern realities. + +Soon after our return to Fiva we heard that Ingeborg was dead, had +been taken back from Molde, and was to be buried in the _gravested_ +at Indfjord on September 2nd, 1875. Accordingly, early that morning +we started in carrioles from Fiva to Veblungsnæs, where myself, wife, +daughter, and Ole Fiva took a boat with six oars for Indfjord. A +lovely, peaceful morning it was as we left the landing-place at +Veblungsnæs. Soon the six oars began their sturdy dip as we came under +the shadow of the mountains: the dip was strong, as Norwegians only +can row for a long travelling sweep and perfect time. After settling +down with our _tine_ of provisions—for we were travelling Norskily, +and no Norske is complete without a well-filled _tine_—a sad tone +seemed pervading the boat: our mission was one of sympathy for the +bereavement of others, with an after-thought of thankfulness that +we had been spared in health, and were sound in body and bone. But +the melancholy of every one was broken by a remark from Ole that we +should soon see the Runic _steen_, which is about half a Norske mile +from Veblungsnæs. A lieutenant of engineers, who was superintending +a new bridge, had described this stone to us, and we were eager to +see it. At last we came upon it. The boatman ran alongside, and threw +water over it to develop it. In nine hundred years pluvial attrition +alone is sure to make its mark, to say nothing of our energetic friend +Neptune’s constant stormdrift and tempest. (The writer would apologize +for the term “pluvial attrition,” but there are so many long words +about just now, what with street advertisements and urban authors.) A +general view of the Runic stone is given in the opposite engraving, +while the initial ornament on page 175 was drawn from a plant plucked +on the spot. The letters are thirteen in number, and their length about +eighteen inches. Twelve feet from the sea-level, under low-water mark, +and projecting some few feet, runs a ledge of rocks, beneath which is +supposed to be secreted untold wealth. + +The translation of these Runic hieroglyphics is, “The Court of +Justice,” and this inscription was evidently placed in a conspicuous +position to guide any who came to the court in old pagan days; for +Romsdal was one of the last of the pagan strongholds. Above, high up, +close to Sylbotten, was a pagan temple; but the Court of Justice was +held at Devold, Romsdal. + +There was now a regular good settle down for a long pull. Up to this +time we have been in shadow, but now we round a point, and taking what +a landsman would call the “first on the left,” we go due south down to +Indfjord. The sea-water is beautifully clear, reflecting the quartz +rocks. _à merveille_, like the good old chandeliers of our grandfathers +after a spring cleaning; the rich sunlit yellow seaweed is grander +far than ormolu; and here are three herons in repose, water-ousels with +their snow-white breasts, and now and then sparkles by an old cormorant +or diver. As we go down the fjord the snow range at the end of it +blocks in everything, the morning mist waiting in the valley for exit, +if possible. + +[Illustration: _Runic Stone, with Inscription, near Indfjord._] + +[Illustration: _The Gravested: Ingeborg’s Funeral, Indfjord._] + +By this time we near the hamlet, and high above us on the left, on a +kind of plateau, we see many figures congregated. They were in front of +Erich’s house, Griseth being the name of the farm. We soon steered in, +and then between two boathouses, at a rude pile-driven landing-place, +the well-known scrape of keel on shore was heard, and we had safely +arrived at Indfjord. Griseth had sent down to meet us and invite us +up to the house, but we return the message that we would rather not +disturb the family, but await their arrival at the _gravested_; so, +with our _tine_, we picked out a spot for lunch, and enjoyed some +cold reindeer meat, biscuit, cheese, &c. During lunch we could see +the _bönder_ folk collecting high up at Griseth, overlooking the +fjord, and at two o’clock we saw them by the telescope start down the +narrow mountain path, the coffin being lashed on to the little cart to +prevent it slipping. Soon they were lost in a dip of the wood, from +which they emerged nearer to us. As we stood at the _gravested_, or +graveplace—like our word homestead, home-place—a man came up and +shook hands with us, and then standing on the wall, commenced tolling +the bell; for there is no church, but only a bell-tower. + +Soon the procession drew near. First came the coffin, black, lashed on +to the hay-cart, and drawn by a beautiful young _blakken_, or Norske +pony, whose collar was of old carved wood painted, the _bonde_ driver +walking behind the coffin, which bore three wreaths of wild flowers. At +a distance behind the coffin followed the men, and after an interval +the sorrowing women, who were succeeded by men of the family, many +sad hearts, and Ingrana. It was a modest but impressive scene. When +the pony arrived at the _gravested_, hearing the tolling bell, he +shied and jibbed, as if regretting what he had done. The coffin was +therefore carried in at once. There being no clergyman, a friend sang +a hymn. The coffin was lowered into the grave; the wreaths removed; +the ropes withdrawn. Some one said to Ingrana, “You were lucky to +escape.” “I could not have been ready,” she said; “God wanted me not, +and left me a little longer. She was ready,” meaning Ingeborg, whom +they were burying. They then sang the second hymn, “Hjemme, Hjemme,” +as the friends shovelled the earth in, and the heavy thud of the large +spadeful boomed like parts of Handel’s “Dead March” in _Saul_. After +filling in the grave the wreaths were placed on the newly raised mound, +and the ceremony closed with “Hjemme.” The weird sea birds screamed, +and all went away together. Many will recount the story of Ingeborg, +Erichsdatter, Griseth. + +Before leaving the _gravested_ the grave-boards must be noted, they +being so remarkable in form, so quaint, and also so Bosphoric. +Sometimes a white butterfly is introduced, as typical of the soul. +How different from the present association with the allegory of their +transient nothingness! After the funeral we had to pay two or three +visits. All the farmers wanted us to visit them—some to tell of +sport, others to offer us _aqua vitæ_ and stamped cakes like the Dutch +_waffles_; and when we returned to Ole Erikson Boe’s he gave me an old +Norske belt as a memento of our visit, which we need hardly say is most +carefully treasured. + +So passed away Ingeborg, Erichsdatter of Griseth, while Ingrana +remained waiting her bidding. + + +Isterdal is full of interest and character, with a wild river, +precipitous mountains on either side, snow on the high peaks above, a +rushing of waters below, hardly any track, and shut in by a façade of +rock at the end of the valley; and yet it is the way from Romsdal to +Valdal. Let us, therefore, explore it, and do so in two fyttes—a short +carriole ride to the _sæter_ with the ladies, and beyond, high, high +up, for real research without the ladies. + +_Place aux dames._ We tried the short journey with two carrioles, and +for an English mile or two we did pretty well, as they will go anywhere +and over anything; but as we got into the scrubwood and underwood the +road grew worse, the wheels going sometimes over a boulder one or two +feet in height, the axle assuming an alarming angle, and the _skyd-gut_ +hanging on the high side to keep the vehicle from turning over—first +one side and then the other—till the fair occupants of the machine +were shaken to a jelly, and would fain try to walk. Still we all +persevere, and soon arrive at the meal-mill, given in the accompanying +page illustration. What a retired spot for business! Who would ever +think of it as a centre to draw customers and found a business—as +a likely spot for a man beginning with the conventional half-crown +becoming the architect of his own fortune? + +The water seen here is the Ister—ever thick and muddy, and always in +violent motion. What a contrast to the calm dignity of the adjacent +mountains in all their graduated phases! A little above this is a shoot +which brings down water to turn the mill. On our arrival the miller +comes out with a quiet kind of welcome, and very kindly shows us the +stones doing their share of work to bring about _fladbrod_ for the +people of the valley during their summer visit: it is for the _sæter_ +people they work principally. + +Leaving the mill, we pass on to the denser scrub and brushwood. We had +with us an old Skye terrier, full of noble traits of character—courage +and endurance—but being as blind as Belisarius, and running against +some of the rocks in the track, he was not only thrown on his haunches, +but his nerve was shaken—that Highland nerve which is of such rare +stuff. Let us immortalise our blind Norwegian canine traveller by a +description. If lost, an advertisement should run thus:—“Lost, a +brindled Skye terrier, answering to the name of ‘Kyle.’ Rough broken +hair, broad chest, short-legged, bow-legged, middle-aged and strong, +and carries his tail high. True to the core, with a head as large as a +deerhound’s. Teeth to match.” The Norwegians at first thought it would +be well to shoot him, but when they came to know him better he soon +enlisted them all among his many ardent admirers. + +Perhaps the idea may flit across the mind of some, Why bring a blind +Scotch terrier into a work on Norway? This is why: old Kyle was taken +that day for a young bear by a simple-minded Norwegian cow. Never were +fear and fright more vividly portrayed than by the action of that +animal, and of her tail especially, on the first glimpse of the brown +brindled terrier. Hearing his name mentioned, he has just wagged his +tail, which is quite flat, like an otter’s, and when very pleased he +wags it with the flat side on to the floor to produce more sound. + +By this time we are at the _sæter_, where the _piger_ have come to look +after the cows until September. Having driven on to the only flat piece +of grass, we unpack for lunch, when the produce of the aforesaid cows +comes to our comfort in an unadulterated form, and thoroughly is the +simple fare enjoyed. After lunch we visit the interior of the _sæter_, +and find spinning going on steadily, a little national tune being +hummed to the whirring wheel accompaniment. The weaving is done during +the winter months. In the summer a little spinning is done, but only by +the most industrious. + +[Illustration: _Spinning in the Sæter: Isterdal._] + +To see Isterdal the only way is to walk. Let us, therefore, continue +on from the _sæter_ in the direction of the Valdal. This was done +with Ole Fiva. Soon we began to ascend, for the end of the valley is +precipitous, with a fine fall, the top of which must be reached before +arriving at the plateau, _botten_, or _balloch_. On commencing the +ascent Ole pointed out in the river below a spot where a bear had been +killed; and higher up again where a bear lived, for he had seen it +there. Some idea of the situation is given by the opposite woodcut, +with the _aiguilles_ on the right. This is looking down Isterdal. The +path was effaced the day before we passed by the descent of a quantity +of rough stuff, more than sufficient to have carried us with it into +the valley beneath. The _aiguilles_ are of a similar formation to the +Troltinderne in Romsdal, and seem to be a nursery of trolds for future +ages. + +[Illustration: _The Head of the Valley: Isterdal._] + +The evening glows on these pinnacles are marvellously and beautifully +grand, and the transitions of hue from one to the other beyond +imagination and conception. Still we work up. Ole, ignoring the +slightly defined regular track, goes up really awful places, hauling +himself up, and astonishing his follower and companion by displaying +the most unnecessary and enviable agility. All honour to such strength +and energy! By this time we had reached the plateau from which the +murky Ister takes a header into the valley which lay at our feet. Once +on the plateau, we could get along better over the stunted flora and +bare rocks, with snow here and there, especially on the south-west +side. The track is indicated by a few pieces of rock, put here and +there in a pile, which being of the same formation as the rock we +are walking on, the similarity of colour makes them very indistinct +at times: the best way is to look out for one on the sky-line, if +possible. After a long tramp we crossed the Ister again, and found +it still more turbid, which was puzzling, as it seemed to come from +a glacier above; but of this more anon. We worked on until we could +look down Valdal, and having drunk in nature in that direction, took a +little food from our wallets, and lay down for an _al fresco_ siesta on +a handsome natural carpet of _fjelde reis_ and other vegetation. + +After that, Ole began telling of expeditions, traditions, and +excursions to the Jager’s Steen, and formally wound up with the report +of a frozen lake which a hunter had seen, but which had not been +visited since. Could we find it? Was the Herr inclined to go? “Most +certainly.” So we started. + +There is a wonderful sense of freedom, and yet of a closer commune with +one’s Creator, in wandering over almost untrodden ground to admire +some portion of his works that have been rarely visited by man. It is +suggestive of drawing aside the veil of the tabernacle of nature; and +happy is the man who derives comfort and soul strength in so doing! +Ole led straight up over rocks bare and betumbled; not a symptom of +vegetation; above us a glacier coming to the edge of a precipice, and +the melting ice forming a fringed fall. We lay down, looking over +the side on a bed of scarlet and crimson _fjelde reis_, a kind of +cotoneaster. Beyond this ledge we saw the glacier imperceptibly coming +on, backed in the long perspective of glacial blocks by a huge bare +mass of rock, the Biskop, and the Drönningen. This was the source of +the Ister. The water, some distance from the foot of the fall, passed +over a soft deposit, which sullied its pristine purity right down +to the sea, the “murky Ister,” thus acquiring near its origin its +characteristic turbidity. + +[Illustration: _Melting Glacier over Valdal._] + +Now for a try for the unknown lake. Ole keeps on, thinking he has his +bearings all right. At last, having climbed up by the side of a fall +dashing down through bare rocks, came the summit, and creeping round a +boulder, before us lies a lake intensely deep in colour, and full of +icebergs and floes of old ice. Where we stood there was snow, with +tracks of reindeer; but in places the former had melted, the _lemmings_ +had been there, and the reindeer-flowers were coming up. These we eat +with _fladbrod og smör_ after a time, for we could not at once settle +down to a snack without paying a tribute of respect to the majesty of +nature before us. Beginning our meal in earnest, in the midst of it we +heard a noise like a roll of thunder, the direction of which we soon +discovered. On the left side of the lake the vast expanse of snow was +riven by a gigantic avalanche, which ploughed its way down, and, coming +to the edge of the rocks, plunged headlong into the lake, agitating all +the ice, and causing the icebergs to jostle each other; but both water +and ice soon regained their equilibrium, and nature lay before us in +solemn silence and undisturbed majesty. It can well be imagined that +having once attained such a spot—some 5,000 feet above the sea—there +was a desire to linger, though the day was fading, and we had five and +a half hours’ walk home. However, “En route!” was the word. Straight +down from bare rock to rock simply ends in no knees after a time, and +one’s legs become something between strips of asparagus and sea-kale. +There was, however, one thing in store: once on a fair road, we could +make some running. It was a lovely evening: we were late, it was true, +but, as horses go freely with their noses towards home, we both took +to the road very kindly, and went along with a will. Ole did not talk +much. It is the pace that kills, and after sixteen hours’ trudge with +our provisions, he no doubt felt that he had done enough. With health +and strength, such a day amidst grand scenery is a joy for ever. + +[Illustration: _Church Axe._] + + + + + VIII. + CEREMONIES, WEDDINGS, ETC. + + WEDDINGS—COSTUME—THE PROCESSION TO THE CHURCH—THE + BRIDE’S RETURN—MOTTOES—BETROTHAL AND + MARRIAGE—CONFIRMATION—FUNERALS—THEIR “ONLY + ONE”—GRAVE-BOARD INSCRIPTIONS—HOME LIFE—ANTIPATHY + TO VENTILATION—NEW CURRENCY—GEOLOGY—VARIATIONS IN + TEMPERATURE—WATERFALLS—POPULATION—WOOD-CARVING—OLD SILVER. + + +In all climes and in all stages of civilisation a wedding is an object +of special interest, and is likely to bring forward some traits of +national character. The bride is always the great attraction, of +course, whether plain or old—not that any bride should ever be plain, +however uncomely featured she may be, for on that day of all others, +the spirit should shine through the clay, with every hope of happiness +before her; and if there be happiness in the world, surely it must be +when the bride becomes the better-half of him she loves. Let us, then, +attend a Norske wedding. + +Weddings are not now as they used to be in the “good old days,” when +knives and winding-sheets were a part of the programme—when grim +rehearsals of the “Grapplers” were frequently repeated, and two +combatants, with one belt round the two waists, grappled and struck +until one was vanquished. No; Scandinavian ferocity is subsiding; +they think more now of “bleeding” their foreign visitors, and the +weddings are sobered down; but the arch-fiend of inebriation tightens +his grip, and Norwegian weddings in the provinces are characterized by +deep libations and their wretched consequences. Now, having noticed +the worst feature of these Northern domestic gatherings, let us turn +cheerily to the brighter side of them. + +[Illustration] + +Naturally costume immensely assists a ceremony like this, and should +the bride not have old silver enough of her own, everybody is ready +to contribute towards the general result, and is only too glad to do +anything in his power to add to the brightness of the occasion. In +Norway the bride wears a silver crown, which varies a little in form +according to date, the most modern crowns branching out all round more +than the older ones. The silver crowns are generally made with hinges, +four or six in number, so that they may fold up into a small space for +carrying in a _tine_, or box. The oldest forms are silver-gilt; the +more recent are partially gilt, some parts being left bright silver. +The bride also wears a thick curb chain, with a medal, which is +sometimes set in filigree-work; but in the case under notice the medal +was one cast with a fine bust of Nelson. Tidemand, the Norwegian genre +painter, has portrayed many scenes of the “Bride preparing to start,” +“Dressing the Bride,” &c. + +The procession to the church is generally all-important. First comes +the fiddler, next the _kander_ or tankard man, then best man, bride and +bridegroom, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, relations, +and many others—all the children of the place swarming round the +church door. We should observe that there is a stolid immobility about +some of the Norwegian _piger_ which seems to become intensified on +these occasions; but when they do melt there must be a great overflow +of spirit and reaction. + +The picturesque group at the altar of the church takes one back to the +Middle Ages: the bride resplendent in costume—in some cases quaint +to a degree, especially in Sætersdalen—with the old silver brooches, +rings, and pendants of generations long gathered to their fathers; +the bridegroom also, most likely, in costume, with his best man close +by to look after the bridesmaid; in the centre, the Elizabethan ruff, +pure white as in Queen Elizabeth’s time, thrown vigorously up by the +sombre black gown, renders the priest a prominent figure; while perhaps +a ray from the sun, descending on the group, shines upon the bride +at the very moment when that ray only is wanted to complete the +pictorial effect of the grouping and its surroundings. The verger, or +clerk, with his long red pole—the functionary described in a former +chapter—is not on active service to-day to awake the sleepers; in +fact, the congregation seems rather inclined to turn the tables and +wake him up. The church floor is, as usual, strewn with juniper tips, +and after the ceremony the bride and bridegroom start home. Walk, ride, +drive, or boat—that depends on the distance and character of the road +to be traversed. They are all picturesque: the water, however, carries +the palm, and, as we have before remarked, the whole scene causes one +to revert to early days, before carriages were used, or roads were +uninviting for travel, and when locomotion was a difficulty. + +[Illustration: _A Bridal Party crossing the Fjord._] + +[Illustration: _The Wedding._] + +What an evening it was, “the bride’s return!” As usual in Norway, +you cannot go far without crossing a fjord: this the bride had to +do. A twenty-oared sea-boat was her water carriage. What peace—what +colour—what harmony! Was it typical of her future married life? A +zephyr just filled the broad sail, the large prow rearing grandly in +front, with a huge bunch of flowers and green things innumerable on +the top; then a large flag and more flowers at the mast-head; and the +rowers every now and then bursting out into a refrain, which as one +leaves off the other takes up. And how these Norsemen do row—always +together! It is generally allowed, by men of experience in Norway, +that so long as the rower is not too “arch-fiended” to sit up, he will +always keep time with his oar. The dip of the oars in the calm is +delightfully refreshing, and the regular sweep gives an idea of power. +Fun is going on at the other end of the boat; for the bride is there +on a raised seat, with the bridegroom, supported by their friends. +The second boat is being left behind, so the _kander-man_ is holding +a large silver tankard to encourage and at the same time joke them. +Doubtless a spurt will be put on after this, and another race commenced +for the run home; or they may just stop for one more _skaal_ (the +bride’s health), and when they have once commenced, be undecided as to +going home. + +[Illustration: _Drinking Horn in the Collection of C. Hampden Wigram, +Esq._] + +[Illustration] + +One thing is a comfort, at all events; all through the country there +is strong evidence of family affection, and these weddings are only +the beginning of a new era of happiness. In Thelemarken, as we have +already had occasion to remark, one custom is for the bridegroom +to elaborately carve the _stabur_, or family treasure-house, with +excellent designs and cunning work, which he effects with his +tolle-knife; and another is to carve good mottoes on the large beds and +over the doors of the rooms. The following are some from Thelemarken +district, that quaint land of short waists, shoulder-blades, and white +jackets—a land abounding with grand old conscientious work; huge +timbers made into solid houses; no hurry-skurry, no slurriness, no +giving as little as possible for wages received—real good timber-work; +while inside may be found carved chests, some of them family treasures +handed down for generations. Motto over bed, carved in: “This is my +bed and resting-place, where God gives me peace and rest, that I may +healthy arise and serve Him.” Over the entrance to a house: “Stand, +house, in the presence of our Lord, assured from all danger, from fire +and theft. Save it, thou, O God; bless also all who go in and all who +go out here.” The ale-bowls, too, have good mottoes: “Of me you must +drink; but swear not, nor ever drink too much.” This motto we would +recommend to the licensed victuallers of England, as good for their +“pewters.” Another drinking-bowl: “I am as a star unto you, and all +the girls drink of me willingly.” Another: “Taste of the fruit of the +corn-field, and thank God from your inmost heart.” This one again: +“Drink me forthwith, and be thankful, for I shall soon be no more.” +These, we say, are good sentiments, and worthy of note; and they must +be the outcome of deeply rooted honest hearts, anxious to benefit not +only those about them, but those who may follow. + +[Illustration: _The Bride’s Return by Water._] + +When the bride returns home there are great doings, with firing of +guns, and, as we have before observed, libations and dancing; the +latter doing good and giving pleasure, the former, to say the least +of them, producing the next day what is known in Scotland as the +“blacksmith’s hammer on the forehead.” + +What a contrast to a Norwegian wedding, carried out with all its +details, is the modern civilisation of being married before a +“Registrar”—a process which must be sudden death to sentiment, and +destructive of all the sacred associations so closely linked with the +solemnity of marriage in Norway! Marriage takes time. The Lutheran +Church has two distinct services or ceremonies, which conduce to +the steady-going of the young people concerned, and tend to develop +prudent and careful living. There is first the betrothal, and then +the wedding. Circumstances decide the particular period between the +two events—one year generally, sometimes two or more; in any case +the betrothal is a good preparation for the responsibilities of +married life, and certainly works well. One thing is beyond denial—it +affords an opportunity to discover latent objections and bad habits, +which might not crop out all at once while the lover is offering a +concentrated essence of courtship. By the betrothal system a girl +enters upon a certain and marked position, being as it were an aspirant +to the honour and dignity of marriage; and this training has generally +a most wholesome effect. The same system is likewise carried out by the +provincial peasants, though these simple folk are sometimes a little +impatient of the second ceremony; but the law of Norway has alleviated +any difficulty which might arise from such impetuosity, and taken the +same _status_ as that of Scotland. + +[Illustration: _Before the Wedding._] + +The wedding festival will frequently last a week—early and late. It is +not “What a day we are having!” but “What a week we are having!” The +home love of the people is prominently shown on occasions like these; +their simple affection and general kindliness can only be the outcome +of tenderness and sympathy in their every-day life, when the mothers +are so motherly, the fathers so fatherly. No “iceberg dads” are to be +found in Norway; they are more like the stoves which every one gathers +round for comfort when the chills of life are likely to be forthcoming. +And the priest comes out strongly on these occasions, for, as we +have previously noticed, he is a part of every family; he shares the +troubles of the flocks, and enhances their joys. He is no kill-joy; on +the contrary, he enters into all that is going on, joins in the songs, +is generally convivial at table, and is not shy of tobacco; he is, in +fact, a practical, genial Christian, and consequently does good service +to the cause he represents and to his flock. + +[Illustration: _The Arrival at Home._] + +We now come to the last ceremonies of the Church, only remarking on +our way the very great importance attached by the Lutheran Church to +confirmation. In this the Church does well, and sows good seed at the +right time—seed which is to be the joy of riper years and the backbone +of posterity. + +[Illustration: _Hitterdal Church._] + +A Norwegian funeral is surrounded by an unwholesome atmosphere of +intense melancholy; hope and faith seem trampled down for the moment by +the weight of present grief. The Norwegians certainly do not look upon +the arrival of the reaper who puts in the sickle as the “order of +release” from the trammels of our lower state. Perhaps their intensity +of feeling is a certain relief from which they rebound to a lighter +burden in after-life. Their quiet, secluded life encourages this; the +very sombreness of the country develops it; and the almost oppressive +grandeur of the scenery sustains it; while the absence of birds with +joyous song certainly adds to it. + +[Illustration: _Return from the Christening._] + +[Illustration: _The Funeral: Bergen._] + +Funerals in this country take many forms. First, in towns, for plump, +portly burghers, as well as for men of note in letters, politics, or +art, there is the old form of coffin chariot, with cock-hatted driver, +the horses clothed in all the panoply of funereal darkness, the road +sprinkled with juniper or yew twigs, the Death’s head blended with a +flame rising from the urn as decoration; the latter the only cheerful, +hopeful thought in the whole arrangement. We regret to add that, like +weddings, funerals are characterized by heavy libations. As to military +obsequies, they are much the same in all lands, and therefore we need +say nothing concerning them. And now, away from towns and cemeteries, +to the more simple method of taking farewell of passing spirits and +lifeless clay. + +[Illustration: _The Stolkjær and Boat._] + +During the visit to Indfjord a description was given of the funeral of +Ingeborg, a good _pige_ swept away by a landslip. How full of sympathy +the good folk were; how the finest breed of _blakken_ was brought, +with the best carved collar the district could produce, to honour her +last remains! And in another place we referred to the more common +occurrence of the coffin being placed on a _stolkjær_. During the +winter, in some of the most inaccessible farms, such as the Geiranger, +where there is no landing-place, the body is kept until spring. +This seems protracted agony; but there is the balance of nature—no +decomposition. In the less-frequented rivers a solitary boat may +sometimes be seen, containing a funeral party unattended, their sorrow +self-contained and unshared by others. The opposite woodcut illustrates +a touching incident—a _bonde_ and wife taking their “only one” to +God’s acre. This is secluded life intensified. Their little one—their +treasure and delight, their pet lamb—was called home, and they had +to take it to its resting-place. The poor mother may have borne up +bravely, but the sight of the churchyard in the distance was too much +for her, and at last she gave way and sobbed over the coffin. But when +she arrives the priest with kindly voice and deep sympathy will comfort +and cheer her. Little, however, will they talk as they row back, with +their hearts full and their home empty. None but those who have had an +only one called away can realise the blank—their “sunbeam” gone. The +grave-boards bear simple and pious inscriptions. We append a few here. + +[Illustration: _Their “only one.”_] + + + LINES ON GRAVE-BOARDS. + + TRANSLATED WORD FOR WORD FROM THE ORIGINALS. + + + ELL OLSDATTER HOEL. + + I was old and weary of my days, and my last footsteps were heavy; + but thanks be to Jesus for his mercy, He opened my eyes so that I + saw danger was near. In much trouble I must sing. Jesus is always + present, and does not take his hand from us. At last I found the + well from which my comfort ran. + + + INGRID LEDINGSÖIEN. + + To children and friends! is Jesus Christ’s cry: Come, see I + come; mourn therefore but with hope. + + Farewell. I depart. The sorrow you now taste must in love take + place. God himself will guard you so that we shall soon + without complaint meet before his throne. + + + OLE GRÖDAL. + + To my Father I go home; there is rest and quiet; and I know + for certain there is also a dwelling there for me prepared. + Hear my sigh, Lord, and keep my spirit in thine hand. + + + OLE WINNEVOLD. + + Away from the world I fly full of trouble home to rest. I am + ready to travel when my sweet Jesus will. + + + GUNDER GRÖDAL. + + Seven times ten and four years was the goal the Good God had + decided for us in our journey home; our mutual mother is + earth. There, in the silent home of the grave, ends our + last journey. Farewell then, friends, far and near. I wish + every one in particular a good end. + + + LÖKEN. + + Through pain Life is born; below the cross sin dies. After + the cross, the crown is given; After wailing, the cry of + victory. + + + INDRE LÖKEN. + + Now have I triumphed by the blood of the wounds of Jesus. I + have found my God, and gladly go to heaven. + + +The home life of Norway is very simple throughout: in summer, the +perfect enjoyment of the short but bright season; in winter, spinning, +weaving, and sledging. The absence of rudeness—the modern term “chaff” +is unknown—the “even-manneredness” of the people in all classes, +must strike a stranger. Whatever may be the class of society, there +is always the same kindly politeness. No double set of manners, as +civilisation brings about; no rudeness to inferiors, or fawning to +superiors; the equal distribution of this world’s goods, combined with +innate kindliness, prevents this. No unkindness, for they are tender +to all dumb animals, and that is an undoubted sign of sterling worth. +And yet, with all this, what jolly little things the children and young +folk are! They will make the most charming little curtsey, and then go +off, children to the core. A good innocent romp, how they enjoy it! The +young girls, too, are so natural, perfectly easy, and well behaved, +that it is refreshing to be with them. Nothing prim or starched about +them, but good hearts, with the bloom of youth. Their dances, too, how +they enjoy them; and then a song, with a chorus from the whole company, +and another dance! Capital housewives these Scandinavian maidens should +make, for even the _fröken_, or young girl of position, carries out all +the household duties of home, and enters into the real work of life +with the greatest earnestness, being mistress of every detail, and yet +the most charming of God’s work—a natural lady. N.B.—The Patriarch +did not lose his heart in Gamle Norge; that was safely at home in the +good care of one who has monopolized it ever since he was a boy. + +[Illustration: _Sledging._] + +Norwegian housekeeping is so totally different from anything we +have that it will be well to note it here. The wife has greater +responsibility and requires more forethought than with us. There are +no co-operative stores to which to send a long list; no one calls +for orders, or solicits the favour of custom; no inviting circulars +or enticing advertisements create an appetite for new purchases, and +make one believe that superfluous things are absolutely necessary, +and must be had. Nor does the husband go to town every day, and bring +back anything the dear wife has forgotten. Her mental powers and good +management must be equal to getting everything in before the winter +arrives, not for the family only, but for the labourers also; and all +this perhaps on slender means, sparse harvests, and bad seasons. In +this respect, therefore, if for no other, the betrothal system comes +in well, affording the young couple plenty of time for the acquisition +of a thorough knowledge of what their new position may necessitate. + +There is one thing, however, Norwegians do not comprehend, and that is +the blessing of ventilation. They cannot understand it, and certainly +never practise it. Their rooms are stuffed up in every conceivable +way. As soon as the cold weather begins the internal atmosphere of the +house remains unchanged until the following summer. When you open the +door you have to cut your way in; it is as dense as cold turtle, and +less agreeable. The marvel is that colds are not more prevalent, from +the fact that the good folk wash their necks on Saturday afternoon as +a preparation for the Sunday, when they dress in their best, and look +like different creatures. + +[Illustration: _The Gentle Reproof._] + + +We are drawing near to the end of our tether, and much as we love home, +there is not the same buoyancy about the return, however happy or +successful the trip may have been, as there is about the start; for the +latter is an important event, teeming with hope and expectancy, from +the _couleur-de-rose_ descriptions of friends who have preceded us, +and who have heartily enjoyed the recapitulation of their adventures, +narrow escapes, and temporary deprivations. But it is very different +with the end of a journey. There is something of the Ichabod in it; and +yet we know not why there should be; for if it has been one of danger, +we ought to be thankful that it is over; and if, on the contrary, +it has been productive of pleasant associations, we should still be +thankful, inasmuch as it will prove a bright spot to fall back upon +and refresh ourselves with when wearied in after-life. So we will not +be depressed at the end of our trip to Gamle Norge; we would rather +think of all the kindnesses of the people, the grand scenery of the +coast, the combinations of sea-rock façade and snow, and learn a lesson +of contentment and Christian love from the _bönder_ and their happy +families. + +Having overcome this very natural feeling of regret that our holiday +is over, let us, in conclusion, notice a few leading characteristics +of the country which have been unnoted as we passed through it. Its +geology is most characteristic, while in variety of climate it stands +alone. Its wood-carving, too, has great individuality; and so has its +old silver.[6] + + [6] THE NEW CURRENCY OF NORWAY.—This change from the old specie dollar +and skillings came into force on January 1st, 1877, when specie +dollars, marks or orts, and skillings became matters of history. The +new _régime_ is as follows:— + + +KRONE AND ØRE. + + SILVER. 1 krone = 30 skillings of old Norwegian money = 1s. 1¼d. 1 +krone is divided into 100 øre. Silver coins are 1 kroner. Copper coins +are 1 øre, 2 øre, 5 øre. + +½ krone = 50 øre. ¼ krone = 25 øre. 10 krone = 1000 øre. GOLD COINS +(scarce; gold coins having been introduced only in 1875). 10 kroner +pieces and 20 krone. NOTES. 5 kr., 10 kr., 25 kr., 50 kr., 100 kr., 500 +kr., 1000 kr. 18 kroner = one sovereign English. + +Let us, then, take a general view of the geological formation. Any +one specially interested in this subject should study the “Geologisk +oversigtskart over det Sydlige Norge,” 1858 to 1865, by Theodore +Kjerulf og Tellef Dahll; but for others a general idea will suffice. + +1. Gneiss predominates in the Romsdal and Sneehættan districts; also +north and south of Sogne fjord, running down to the entrance of +Hardanger. + +2. Granite predominates in the south in large areas up to the Vöring +Fos, and in detached portions in Vestranden towards Trondhjem. +Christiansand is granite. + +3. Sparagmit fjeldets (Norske) is found in Central Norway. This is +a comglomerate of red sandstone, and sometimes called red and grey +sparagmite. + +4. Trondhjem quartz in the north, really hard schist: not found south +of the Dovre fjeld. + +5. Syenite and porphyry round Christiania. + +6. Labrador stone occurs west of Lindernæs, in the south, at Ekersund +on the west coast, below Stavanger, round the Galdhopiggen (the highest +point in Norway), and north-east of Fortun, in the Sogne fjord. + +The whole of this surface bears record of the immense extent and effect +of the glacial period of Norway. The valleys show the glacial set as +distinctly as does the tide in large rivers, the greatest attrition +and scoriation being in the concaves going down. Huge bastions of +rock[7] have been rounded and ground down by constant attrition, and +vast terraces of sand, at the end of each valley, are the result of +this attrition accumulating for ages. It would be very interesting +to analyze and find the component parts of these immense deposits. +Certain it is there is no natural sandy soil above, and, as we have +before mentioned, when reindeer-hunting, we have found huge boulders +of thirty or forty feet at an elevation of 5,000 feet, with smaller +ones of a different formation resting on them. Now all this has been +brought about by the influence of the gulf stream: when the gulf stream +took this course the glacial period ceased in Norway. That epoch none +can tell. It will be sufficient to notice the result, which is this: +when the polar current from Spitzbergen runs down the west coast of +the Atlantic, and produces the great fogs off Newfoundland, the gulf +stream, driven up from the Gulf of Florida by the force of the great +caldron of the equator, strikes on to our west coast and the coast +of Norway, running up to the North Cape; in fact, the only timber +to be obtained there is the drift wood from the West Indies; and at +Hammerfest casks of palm oil have been washed up from Cape Lopez Point, +in Africa. In Iceland, too, as Professor Ericker Magnussen informs us, +the bridges are made of mahogany. Not that bridges are frequent in +that country; but those which they have are made from the logs washed +up there. This accounts for the variety of temperature which the two +boundaries of Norway—the gulf stream on the west, and Sweden on the +east—present. For instance, though Bergen and Christiania are in about +the same latitude, the average temperature at the former is 46° 8´ and +at the latter 41° 5´; the summer average is about the same; but in the +winter months Christiania is often 13° colder than Bergen. Hence there +may be skating at Christiania while there is none at all at Bergen, +where the average annual rainfall is 72 inches, which, by the way, is +lower than that in our English lakes. + + [7] See the rocks of Steensund, on the west coast: these are +conglomerate. + + MEAN TEMPERATURE. + + Winter. Spring. Summer. Autumn. + Christiania + 25° + 38° + 60° + 42° + Bergen + 36 + 45 + 58 + 48 + Trondhjem + 24 + 35 + 61 + 40 + North Cape + 24 + 30 + 42 + 32 + +The mean temperature at North Cape is 32°, the greatest cold arising +from north-east winds. Thunder-storms occur in winter, while west winds +cause dense fogs. + +At the conclusion of Forbes’s “Norway” will be found a most interesting +map, with isothermal lines passing through those places which have +the same temperature in the months of January and July; and it is very +striking to notice that the July temperature of the north of Ireland +and Edinburgh is maintained through Norway as far as the Arctic Circle, +when it begins to deflect to the eastward, where the gulf stream’s +influence ceases. + +[Illustration: _Stabur and Wooden Tankards._] + +Again, the waterfalls are a great feature of this country. Some +one has depicted Norway thus [Symbol], and the Alps thus [Symbol]. +There is much truth in this. The valleys running down to the fjords +produce immense precipices, down which rush the many waters of the +high plateaux of 3,000 or 4,000 feet; and in some parts these falls +are strengthened by the waters of the vast stretch of _sneebræden_, +or snow-fields, of which the Justedal and the Folgefond are the most +extensive. + +The casual observer, looking at the map of Norway, would think it well +populated, but a few years ago its inhabitants numbered hardly more +than one-fourth those of London and its suburbs.[8] The names on the +map frequently represent mere stations, farms, _præstegaarden_, or +rectories, and villages are seldom seen. As in Scotland, the farmer +takes the name of his land. In fact, Norway and Scotland are very +closely allied to each other in many respects. + + [8] Population of Norway, 1,150,000. + +From the Runic downwards, the wood-carving of Norway stands alone for +distinctive characteristics, and is still carried on in every variety +by means of the simple national tolle-knife, which is ready for +everything. + +The lintels and carvings of the _staburs_, or store-houses, in +Thelemarken have been already shown, but the most interesting specimens +are found in churches, where the tortuous lines are full of originality +and power of design. Serpents are ever-present and ever-varying, +the museums being rich in specimens of this ecclesiastical class of +work. Wood, and birch especially, is used for every kind of domestic +utensil, and ornamentation is very generally introduced. Some of the +old horse collars are beautiful, and are sometimes painted; tankards +are richly carved; spoons profusely so; and on some occasions the +bridegroom, if he be very expert, prepares a double spoon for the bride +and himself, wherewith to eat their porridge simultaneously. Drinking +bowls, salt-boxes, _mangel stoks_, are all carved; and this art is much +encouraged by the long winter evenings. + +The old silver of Norway is so large a subject that a series of +illustrations would be necessary to do justice to the matter; but +its day is fast passing away. The peasants and fishermen have found +new outlets for their earnings, and the time has gone by when they +wondered what new thing they could have made in the precious metal; +in fact, electro-plate is now invading Gamle Norge. May the _bönder_ +select the blessings of civilisation and eschew its evils! May their +home happiness and love be ever-increasing, and the kind welcome which +we have so often experienced never decrease in heartiness! For a time +farewell! + + FARVEL, FARVEL! + +[Illustration: _Costume of Lutheran Priest of Norway._] + + PRINTED BY VIRTUE AND CO., LIMITED, CITY ROAD, LONDON. + + + Transcriber’s Notes: + + - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + - Blank pages have been removed. + - Title page has been moved to start. + - Redundant chapter heading pages have been removed. + - Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. + - Dropcaps image caption text is marked as [Dropcap caption: ...] + - Dropcapped paragraphs treated as the start of a new section. + - Illustration listing as facing page 183 changed to actual location + as frontispiece. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of 'Gamle Norge': Rambles and Scrambles +in Norway, by Robert Taylor Pritchett + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GAMLE NORGE: RAMBLES AND SCRAMBLES *** + +***** This file should be named 63851-0.txt or 63851-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/8/5/63851/ + +Produced by Charlene Taylor, Bryan Ness, Robert Tonsing +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian +Libraries) + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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