| Show Uf a Iema 1 8 uJ a Id eri r > 81 = ODD INCIDENTS Ol FOUISION > TRAVISI AND OI3SKRVATION = = = LONDON Oct 50 rB9tAt the oulx of tli M brief sketches of Norwegien erne urn folk I hrre Is a strong and Irre tsllble Itnpulw upon me to nuke 2 ion of confession few travelers In fort Ian Undi are very willing In do I hive no None blood In my vein Im I not i None Kholir I hive not hid the tin lo even carnally read the scant literature of Irani In Norway I nevrr posMwed 1 a ituHle buok to that country I luve acquired only I few hundred word < and a few icon sentence of he Norwegian languiie nd ihoM cotnpiil sorily Ihrouf n temporary exigency nd my n inderhigs in this land of wondrous tcrlhty Mid marvelous fertility of irtntlful h i Ighli and iwful depths of savage gnur and sunniest nook 410 only mprlied three ihotl runway run-way tripi front the BrllUli tide of the North sei YI so much can Ix teen In to little liner in Norway III Mettle wonders Are no lmpre lvery nod hulling nuutd M government and social lyttern am o plain a ul l imple to the stranger ami hove alt In people ire to retpoailve hoipuid ie and kind auil fn like a roOk < hot roO-k set open belO < < tour eye for the reading that out of the little opportunity opportun-ity I have had for observation and maod ilon when I look back to the Mem north land and In crags valleyi and home there I a such a sense of psnora ink completeness of light scene and feeling like the tender pleasure of ttll Ing a nut olden Kenet and friends Till h no doubt true for two leuont One l that Norway ircnery li at Ire mendotM II that word may be I > used ai that of Switzerland being vaster In ex lent and infinitely more varied hen you look Hi i n snowiapped mounMliu I above Hie clouds I I a lew thousand feet of alUtulo more or leu I In particular Imtancts ure almost Incurnprehemlblu to light or mind and nearly all ol theae maieatii prcaentmenta of Inert nature In Norway liave that added poweifully weird fuclnatUm ot immediate contlg iilly with a licrco i and Ihunikroua tea Indeed I am not sure hlI It would be a true jtatcmenl that considering the many olten soundless fiords piercing her entire western cuait almost lo tlwSwcd Mi boundary ai arma of the sea which Ihry truly are there is no portion ill Norways meosurotea and transcendent s ii ic gloilei uhicli li not Intensified in harm ami sublimity by thin peculiar minim Influence and effect llecause of this In whatever land you may have mood In awe belo the uplifted I ragced iilis ot our good old glul r e these Nor wiy mightyheights and chaims remain clearest aharptit and longest In the ever changing photographs of the travelers trave-lers memory Fire other reason Is a purely eUilcal one You cannot be among the people of Norway know them ever 10 lltlle and I leave them without having gained that moat Mewed of all conscioiisncu to the traveler ol hating came upon a place In the universal human allotment which U sturdy genuine and true There Is I a directness without affront a 11 1IIIJo without Ignorance a slurdi = IIJotI3 f ness without nl garalintss an honesty without assumption a geniality without rlliulveneis a hospitality without truck I And a nlIV IIootll nI I mi folk J minute l specific and unl ersal our liking lor them grows u Ith every new experience In the tatln I countries the Miuthlne of entrance diiules you with anticipation ever fading to ibe darkest shallows of Insincerity In orway the greeting la as quiet as the ilcncea of Its land locked fiords but very successive np tlence Is as light fill and assuring as each scene Irom the strong atone ways leading to her glowing r r ing upland 1 dalen Ami so our I e irt takes rout where your feel nave Iud My first visit to Norwtt w is made Iriimllull tolkrgen and Ihnci on i Norwegian cuustlhK iiramer In anil out of the nurds along the wondrous coast to ndso Hie next gave me lime lor Intel ior wanderings m the llergen and 1 II irdanger districts and the U t afforded J L t i ed opportunity lor knowing the scenes and jwople roundabout Teromlhjem Hhlle considerable land journey were made towatda the Oslertlal from the north and Into the lalllngdal 1 Irom the west Mien the coal lour was made 1 had no intention of ever seeing Norway again and every Wet crag Kurd town and landing was an object ol eaier In teresl I I am not sure but this I method i tf visiting Norway luu nupeilor advun Inks to the traveler whose time Is I limned as bin divinity of observation U i iilraocdmary while it the same time he In I pracllrall at vase within or upun hli floating Inn In the firit place you are certain of most Intelligent and InlcriMingcompany Nearly alt the officers of these coast i stcamen speak Luxtuh ind 1 more kind hearted loquacious nicl almost benevulent set of tea faring men are not to be foiin I YOII arc contlanlly ugree ablj surprised by the pleasant chancier ol jour itllow passengers hngliih outers aie predominant and these are the very cream of the rngllsli people liard worked editon on a Uriel vocation sensible quiet lellows who dose and dream > nd beam as though the slight surcease irom the bickerings 1 ol Urub Ijine were all but an kmyUI heaven bevies I of > pleudld peachy nglUh I girls fresh rum some seminary ami acroin I panled hy teachers not a bit ashamed to I I begsyaiid outig again grave natural lilh broadening III ir vUlon from the gullies of tlumptlead Hiath and thr Hollows lor rppme I oitHt actors and I their wives I whoarv var > ing ihc muni 1 run over to Pans to a IIIk I am < ng Iie unlcn and fiords iml I 1 riiuim I ond m i i anon and aciressiit i ic unoni ilu li lest minded folk joii w Inuei iii an journeying J whe tUIi nnd > c un > geoluK nil who ar Instead lo of lotning the I hard i 1 tmtinn strata MII voui nmelnc aie iheiiirrpliut tum es t ni d 1 luiitympa kbclli uf mm bImll1 i Amoricinii Who c ii t i s r nu I tin R of tB woild I outsit ul NcvkSuik Lwidun and Ians 1111 1011 I II UK m Inr their quick im ir MI rylhlng liWonOolull womkrl I vvondeilull Fntll h c 11 i itir ti t llkhlund free uirK ii > wu lubicunu faced tutllelic ikiiu all the lusluf Irlends in these pi luruniiuo waters ind vlemg nh euih otiier In I those true = nd I good human amenities whit h their wulled In Christian pulpits forbid rhen there arc fun u I in ilu 11II vc artists I the K niiine nneu wikiik narutstlv at outlines uhiih ure j at I ti i lat rr modestly away In their portfolio the othen lelhnt > ouallab utwliatwonder ful work Iliey will have when they gi t time to fll them in amiKiir pho o I graphen with wrinkled brows and lac I s I of froaen Importance and wearlnew choolmakters from America t and Eng I land hntlml In wurk off muttlv Mmelia of hlstot upon r the pollta if not alwayn erlhrallad listener 1 ivp merchanu from Vsdso padns the deck mi II choked In the to them suliiy climate of the lower > or way rum those mo > i lonesome and wobegoni people yoi = WI nl can ever meet In fireiitn lauds me ncten in fedfd nnkrrboikeis and drooping visors that une aiwa > i lerN like privately asking into apartment or slate room to accept a change uf clothing rural Norwegian deau < n t islts lo all ing communicant In lonely coaitwlse parishes and scores m re from many r lamUand climes in astoii hlng anely of natioinlity station and character IUI I sll In the grandest got I liumr and cheerily alive to the mol nu I g uns from commonalty andgoud fcl uuslnp I cono onK YI the fringe ol Norway that can be ilius threaded Wt by bit but what a mighty lunge II isl IHd the reader evrr think lor a momint what the actual coast line uf Norway must be The subject rame up on intpboard and reeCbi = lcr some pe < i le capable ol close calcula I lion and ho think before they enturu ipiniuns louccded II might be frum 1 I > ooo to j uoo mile My cariosity led I me to speak to the captain about It I w hen opportunity oflered I i Well he replied cautious y the same question rol has Iwen I icpeatei I asked me eter since I have Uen In the i coa t service The main COKI line li upwards of i tuo miles long Fncre are i i nearly a thousand ulsrida in tliu Skwr I ganrd II fouler coo > t pi I men ng islands with i fully 4000 miles ol r coast lint Irom I Iliixken 110rlllo I the North C ipe and I mound IT Varanger Fiord in the Arctic O can The fiords cutting hi luto nuln I land some from 80 to loo miles In length eaih with smaller fiords some shorter Mjme longer reaching In every direction from the larger fields must hate as great a coast line I as the Sko gaard f IC t U e dont know ai w i are right bin ve never have been able to figure Norwai s f = Iii Ib = r actual 1 line u coast at be ow o ooo miles Thai Is nearly onetl Inl the distance around the globe In this summer time trip along the Norway coisl for there Is praeticnlly no night in Juno and July the weler sight may fairly be uldlo rest Upon coast scenery one hall the length ol this vast distance I he entire c mtse Is one of everchanging scenes ol desolation and graniteur iiuaintniiHamJ tieaiily Nolhlii could be quainter In the Netherlands than the red tiled ell of llergen which Rood King Olafloun ded rraclnng out to commerce and the sea its lung low rows of huge roofed warehouses its narrow streets Its odd looking red homes Us peaked rouf od gable ends all climbing the sleep hills and lorming a warm almost I icmlsh picture against the hard old mountains behind lu I a moment almost It h I ihut from slghl and then IId interminable male ol UTands again Now us aie at the very edge of one whose verdureles top and rigged teeth could be leaped upon from shii I board Then a little archipelago is threaded where folk lite by fishing ane1 farming the ncta and gear lining the tugged shores liny strips ol 1 grass or cram show ing litre and there between lilnck anglts of rock tnd low strongly built habitations often with sod roofs arc clustered wheruver place 10 let lliem can be fuund Here men uomen MIUJ 1 children aie barefooted bartlegged bare breasted and bare armed They seem content and as v e pass they wav their hands and smile More than once we pan through channels so narrow between upraised facet uf Island walla that ItU shadowy l and dark upon the steamer deck Myriads of sea foul I dtp nnd plungu al us as II lo descend upon the ship anil shriek deafoilngly for the m me itary intrusion Some are gulls I with their hoarse strangled gurgle am men and women st Hiding olt igainst U o sail ex ciiedl throw pieces of bread for the imished f 101 I to wrangle over In mid air laying wager as to th greatest number ol Ifiiuws taken b the itIIl before Hi bread touches tho water Ihe splits olten awakening almost hitler rivalreo and becoming dangerous to purse ami person Again we sail close beneath a Iwctllng shore side cltlT whoae leaden colored wall rites I sheer Into the air for more thin two thousand lect and whose edge cull the sky aboie apparently as level and sharp as Ihe edge ol a dressed block uf block marble Seaward cniml less Islet rimmed with loam foiin purple relief In settings ol Itwtleas while Louiitlits fiord are passed Some have wide lowlhur mouths Others sliowciise II black nails reaching to the i loud hrouc 1 i IIo l < latter a ihern t f light cainca Ui > eo lo thu purply almost al-most shadow haxn al 1 ove the ibund r i wateri beneath and 10 lor n c 11 be seen then ate hOle l > in Ihe waters I be Heath Ihe mighty encircling walls and then the clouds and tho firmamu above But ihrough m my mo t Ijuta tiling glimpses are caug L htringe fJI pointed I boats reari j Ing I ac s t u silri I I waters ol the fiord A 11ik teening tircsllpon the water itiH shows be nealh Ihe lace ol a tonciing cliff An upland did entrance Ii I indicated by the pinkish mist which showing above t R hi fiord edge hints of dc p swift streams or slumberous silent l < kei beyond with leataut valley die urounil A great stone i > jil winds In and out Ilka some UIIG scaly serpent but a Kims upward I pon us outward reappearing curved liny chaleli tevm palled I Far In some faintly seen pot ketv recess 1s a tint 1 of green Tin id r and brown apUtches I upon it arr ni lUntaiiflKle pea ant homes Ihatpulfm 1 whit like I a niinimolh llecce ol wool tun twent peihaps ihiny milt away is I where a rtvcrlcapsi iman Indiscernible gorge A ihou mil leet higher but nearer on thu nurd side Is n penciling of wavering waver-ing while n ualeifall 1 pounded by tho iilrs rc iMinc < mtj hmtant waving lohli of mist hundred ol feet before t i hey touchthe 1 ripplelvu fiord where the lInr lt idl Abuve and beyond all this blending blend-ing into Indistinguishable threads and lines of sk bud cloud are ranges of ttenul ice and snow nd so un and on and almost end Itssly on challenged by thrs strange wild and eauiliul icenvs y m may go tl IJ nr r llrelmsly liimllation I eunllorl and pleasant pleas-ant Gompabiorwlups all yoursi past rh ti stutd old riirondhitin the nnrihcra most city of Inipurliiuci in Lurope with HIP wild lind racin Nil 1 IP HIM linl b undlng Ir > in Hit n 11 i ins in 1111 i s I I < lf 111 011 J lIhl I > 111 11 It C 1 L r b 1 I I II I d 01 hi I t III n IUIIllol pill I r < l1n 11110 II orldanlou ro ky IInc I PO Uoa mAveloo hld Auhult ollrA elr fr ul I i w lu > 1 1e0 on1 r = r D i 11 1 ft It > I kr cod IrnAlh a 10 the blok black dloa IIJ lmu h Ce I I I Mc i = ta iifrn I heCllecl Icler nI n 01111 b ruul or man ntl If I 11 r 1lIa 1 Ton 1 III 01 Hun and afnl as the i t tI i It i L > Ih I ekaEhlh you rkulil hn pII < 1 Insula of Wartaa Hue d anlng I n 1 u i ihcKHliHii o ih i < i Or i < it gently through me i > re U iger 8 = r na r rlonl dropping anelir uefore Vadw the iiortheiiimot luhalued place In I i Kurort I 1 Here KM perhaps aow < oiil who sub I list almost wholly up ull lm Indu tries I = T Illi i Iconncctail wllh me wlata 1 I iihiriei oil Hrlll find Finns an 11 I appi III abundance abun-dance but all the e i ireial 1 dial ngi I of the place u c < I n by N r weglana The ent < e uumry round I about dlnVli lulie in tp I aut trim i Ihe easldn shore ul I dor IM 110 < all II Bvmtastlig > u I m < vcrii h I celveble lorniaUon sire uasi uuc n forbidding i i for-bidding Mountain real ei w e Iroirn silences ol Nowhere Ilu J I I jru squally orlhln ari clad like at u I have laces k iC I i Ilka animals and ruu s bk Lwaalo Mere and there arc u > IILe if aickly graas brittle muss md 1 trees gnarled stunted tempest own and fiosm Into t uiter Inrignincaiicu r I cr > where li the naiiaeallni attach 01 I n h In ilagd ol imniprtMntollcnsu in Hut overall over-all the often barn ng ri 1 of the sun which hen In lu bri I ays of fadeless l 1 I new soeim mi re 11 rui and deadly il an I Lave ever felt in power In Cuba or A lelej True yi u have actually < een the Midi l i > un fo me the spetuci imed i asm show and not I lu l ihc glory in It uf a t iilbw timely I un l U I j conn vil t 1 > mrs sinking I be hind Ihe landscape ol t a ti uLa Kngllsh tlu in or a sweet Ne lniand talc I roaM t I WAKKMVM |
