The Norwegian Fjords

islands in the sea and cloud-islands in the sky, their perspective terminating on the distant horiz

e sky in countless hues, and the magic of morning is felt in the air, cool and clear

nestling in rocky creeks, and soon we are at the busy wharf of the first port of call, Stavanger, a bustling and clean litt

rg

; lighthouses, which are seen at every turn, and on both sides of the steamer's course, indicate the dangers and test the ski

Bergen has witnessed most of the s

Northern Europe, held absolute sway here in Bergen, and the quaint Tydskebryggen (German quay) was their trading quarters. Near by the fortified towe

s at present undergoing a change. Tydskebryggen is being

nt twelfth-century church, formerly

ts a most interesting town, the ancient rubbing shoulders with the modern-the electric tram-car with the carrier's cart and "kariol"; the slender wood-framed, sack-covered booth with the gaily-painted kiosk; and the latest fashions from London and Paris with the di

ion of the prevailing weather, although I have known it to be fine there for several days together. But this not being in the nature of a guide-book-"Baedeker," "Beyer," and "Bennett" supply all

the scenery and the greater area of land under cultivation-orchards gay with blossom, and well-trimmed farms with brightly-painted wooden houses, red, yellow, or white,

danger

th beads in front, clean white linen sleeves, a large white head-covering ("skaut"), blue skirt trimmed with coloured braid, and a belt of beads with an old silver filigree clasp. The

h, men and girls alike rowing their graceful boats to church. On landing, they arrange each other's toilet on the beach

ng. The farmer's dog is also quite a "regular attender," but he is usually well-behaved, and no one app

ardange

e and other gossip-as each one repeatedly turns over the ample "quid" of tobacco in his mouth. It may be that they meet only once in three weeks, for man

nt's ho

ished on the outside with weather-boarding, turf laid on birchbark for roof-covering, on which g

te of their owners, red, white, or yellow ochre, and these

the ground floor, and in it the farmer, his family, and servants live and have their meals together in quite patriarchal fashion. In this ro

nd weaving of home-grown wool for the family in quite primitive fashion on ancient wheel a

rately. This building rests on short strong pillars of wood to keep out the rats and o

and old silver articles-heirlooms-including a bride's crown of silver gilt, all stored away in huge chests ("kists"). Here may also be found

sed for the baking of "flad br?d," a kind of rye cak

d to brew ale for their own consumption only, the sale of it not being lawful. Most households enjo

se, the barn and cowhouse, with accommodation for horses,

r idle recreation. The only important break in their humdrum lives, and to which they look forward with gladness, is the annual removal of the house

nimals-horses, cattle, goats, sheep, etc.-in cutting faggots from their woods, and in the maki

ture-lan

t in Norway, although, on most farms it is carrie

vegetables necessary to the family are raised, such as cabbages, turnips, carrots, onions, peas, and beans, an

Hardanger Fjord that horticulture is carried on to any greater extent than to satisfy the farmer's own requirements, although at the present time there is a strong movement for the promotion of horticulture, and many of the counties ("amt") have appointed gardeners, who

generally adopted in most European count

stance, however, did not prevent an accumulation of the landed estates in a few hands, the result being that the peasant class to

than one estate should pay double taxes on those in excess of one; as a consequence the

e-tenths of the farmers being now freeholders; they have consequently a more substan

-bui

aces on the Hardanger Fjord-chiefly at Jondal; also at Rosendal, on the ancient and

ost ancient industry with whic

d Tacitus goes on to describe what lies beyond-that they knew, at any rate, the southern portion of

to an age not less remote than 500 years B.C. These are found, among other places, at Leirvaag farm in Askevold, on the sou

turies of our era. Rude as these rock-carvings are, they give us some idea of the kind of vessels employed in that very remote age: they represent long row-boats with very high carved prows o

h could be hoisted when required. This th

h prows and square sails, which have an indescribable air of antiquity about their build,

r will yet find a number of them in Nordland, and these are still

remotest past of Scandinavia, of the early period of the

as the traveller will note as he proceeds northwards, the Hardanger type being of ligh

ere along the fjord, either in use on the water, or pulled up on the strand, and,

ir own boats out of wood grown on their own farms, and some build to sell again. The cost of a four-oared boat is

food of

nds of sea-fish are caught therein, sometimes in very large quantities, herring being often in such densely-packed masses that quite a num

and salted, being either kept for winter use

rliest times the staple food of the Norwegians, as we learn f

ek i

k hei

ok h

og havre," which, translated, reads, "Before I

God?sund (mis

.m.-the chief meal of the day-is served fish, and boiled, salted, or dried mutton with potatoes; at 12 mid-day, oatmeal porrid

in some places coffee is used after the meals, and a very poorly-baked brown bread

s in the peasants' homes, but since so many foreign travellers in later years have

er the cattle and farms, which took up the principal part of their time. Thus the ordina

afford more assistance on the farms, and their wives are spared much of the degrading work which was their lot in the past. They have, consequently, more ti

thenbur

king of the liquor law of 1871, popularly known as the "Gothenburg system," by which

ion. During the years 1830-1840 we find the country ravaged by the "spirits plague," with its attendant sad results, moral, economic, and sanitary. By

hen it was done wholesale, and was, at the same time, restricted to a limited number of distilleries. No one was allowed to retail spirits without a licence from the Local Board, who had also "l

rinking habits, and a consequent decrease in the consumption of spirits was distinctly perceptible, as well as the increased prosperity a

tead of seeking to make the largest circle of customers, made it their aim to supervise and restrict the drinking of spirits, and whose net p

l points, especially in the fact that the profits do not, as in the neighbouring kingdom, go to the municipal funds. No

r there should be any sale of spirits in their town for the following five years. As a result of this there has been prohib

n of intoxicating liquors have contributed greatly to raise the economic well-being of the nation, and

modernized farms, increased acreage of land under cultivation, the scientific pl