The Norwegian Fjords

FJORD (c

nd grander proportions as we advance. At Vadeim it is just beginning to be interesting

g cornfields, and as an effective contrast, glacier an

e as the scene of the Swedish

pointed out that of King Belè, whose daughter was Ingeborg, whilst at Framn?s, acros

that of the ancient wooden "stav-kirk," at Vik in Sogn. It was erected recently, mainly through the efforts of the brothers Kvikne, who during their lifetime

to the life at a "s?ter," or mountain out-farm, a

s of large portions of the mountain plateaux in their neighbourho

the domestic animals to the "s?ter." It is a picturesque sight, this cavalcade, the animals all confusion, cattle lowing and sheep bleating, their bells tinkling merrily as they skip about, the sturdy little ponies,

trackless regions of rocks and stunted trees, they at length arrive at

at a

the margin of a lake or mountain tarn, surrounded by high mountain-to

earliest style of house building now in existence in the country, this ancient form surviving here long after it had been aba

strongly-flavoured old cheese comes from buttermilk-it is called

ition to the cheese and butter making, they must attend to

eek-ends with necessary provisions, and tak

the sun's heat is great, it is tempered by the breezes which c

r, Vet

y slopes and fill their wooden pails with the cranberries, bilberri

sounding names the cattle answer, the goats also being known i

k; they are led by its sound, and keep within hearing distance as they graze. The sheep and goats

slowly making their way of their own accord to the

r," a kind of alpine horn. This is made of birch, and is about four feet long. When bl

e long summer evenings they love to make the mountain crags echo wi

ively when there are bea

at there is danger near. A bonfire is quickly made and kept alight throughout the night; the "lur" is also brought into requisition.

, owing in a great measure to the more general use of better guns, they have steadily decreased. The average annual number of bears shot

these animals, and in this neighbourhood

for several days up the mountains, he was suddenly confronted by a she-bear with a young cub. So quickly did she appear from behind a rock, and so close to him was she, that he had not time to fire before she struck him on the head with her powerful forefoot, which action tore his scalp over his face and laid him prostrate

s of life, and being at length convinced that all was well, she went on with her task with

-hun

nd with cool and steady aim he was fortunate in bringing down by that one fatal shot a fine animal in the pink of con

land, and both may be visited in a few hours from Mundal. These glaciers a

egard to size, and the surroundings are majesticall

ime huge masses of ice falling over the precipice

averns, deep blue in colour, from which flows the pale-green ice-

rs of

land, and the peasants are all well-to-do; they retain in primitive fashion the

n are, as a rule, placid and even-tempered, and the natives of Inner (Indre) Sogn are quick, lively, and excitable. Their d

company of Vikings has sailed from this fjord. The ancient kings of

of his bailiff at a place named Kaupanger, near Sogndal. Kaupanger, by Sverre's orders, was burned, and so were the house

d, Sogn

Fjord, at a place called Fimreite. Here it was that the rival fleets came into contact. The king gained the d

of the thirteenth century, lived Audun Slinde, one of the powerful chiefs who

en," an upright column of stone, on which is the run

waterfalls are seen on every side threading their steep descent among the crags, now gliding over smooth glaciated rocks, now wriggli

amer'

, cumbersome boat, laden to its utmost capacity with sheep and lambs, puts out from shore to meet the awaiting steamer. The boat is roped to the steamer's side; the sheep, handled tenderly, are

mong his flock, his whole time taken up in keeping watch and ward over them, especia

pleasant breeze plays on the sur

d the moon brightens as twilight advances, while over in the west

and steeper, in places almost perpendicular, and the water

overing up with a sackcloth the smallest lambs, which are in the packing-case on the fore-deck, as a protection from the cool night air, which is rather inclined to be fros

o F

narrow valley of the same name. Here huge mountains rear their massive walls into the tw

in reply two large boats put out from shore to meet the steamer. With much struggling the woolly flock is transferred to the boats from t

ompliance with a signal from shore, the steamer slows up, and a boat is brought alongside. A friendly good-bye to the obliging captain, and I am rowed ashore, whe

k and handle of antique design in wrought-iron. On one side of this room stands an elevated open hearth ("peis"), over which hangs a crane, and to this is attached a huge copper cauldron. The smoke from the peat fire escapes through the ro

a glance was, for one of my stature, much too short. It was piled high with some soft material on the top. This covering proved on examination to be a 4-feet square air-tight bag containing eiderdown about a foot deep. Under this was

morning how I had slept, and if I would like an ext

e N?r

four boiled eggs, and a large bowl of creamy milk. In addition to these delicacies, a cup of excellent coffee was brought in. The meal nearly ended, and not having made much

als, varied only with boiled goat's flesh, p

rld outside their fjord, and it was interesting to hear them talk in their very pronounced and ancient dialect ("Sognema

d, on their tops a crisp powder of new snow-this was at the end of October-and across the fjord rise up perpendicu

nd the high peaks, indicating at the same time the presence of showers of fine snow above

ling ice, which floated in detached

to proceed farther. The fjord is at that time a highway for sledge traffic to and from the steamer. In this manner the

it during four months of winter. The sun lights up some of the nearer tops, however,

th terrible velocity into the fjord and valley from the precipitous mountain mas

hese massive stones formed part of a huge avalanche which descended from the crags here only a few years ago. The postman, driving at

helter of rocks, so as to be protected from the wind, which sweeps

r?

ining accommodation at the inn at Gudvangen-it being considerably past the time of tourists-to my intense surprise, I found the place full to overflowing wi

ded, cakes and home-brewed ale

e me in the house, found me, at last, a little room over the bakehouse close by, wh

, in their prim, bright costumes, were exchanging pleasant banter with the boys, while the older men lounged a

A start is soon made, first a kind of informal procession along the short stretch of road to the pier, and a scramble into the boats, then out on the fjord, their oars keeping time to

tories, which repeated avalanches have ground down in their career from the overhanging cliffs above to the deep fjord below. E

of the wedding feast, and to drink the healths ("skaal") of bride and groom. The festivities are prolonged with

h produced a few English coins of silver and bronze. These she had earned during the past summer from passing travellers by the sale of flowers from her little garden patch. She begged

ained a few four-leaved clover sprigs. These she had taken all day to discover among the scant herbage on the mou

the deep valley, crossing and recrossing the clear mountain torrent, whose close acq

rrow, gorge-like valley. The high, dome-shaped mountain, which is a conspicuous feature on our right as

om Stalheim

ir work was interrupted by the sight of a large eagle, poised at a height of several hundred feet in the air. From its talons a young sheep was hanging. As they watched they saw that the eagle was gradually descending, although making powerful and frantic efforts to rise. As it neared the ground all hands ru

liff, which is here about 1,000 feet above the valley. Immediately on the right as we ascend we see a pretty waterfall, Sivlefos,

ed by the action of avalanches. The mountain mass on the right is Kaldafjeld, and in the extreme distance we can just distinguish Kilefos, the fine waterfall near to Gudvangen. At our feet are the two waterfalls we saw on our climb up Stalheimsklev

district with that of Sogn, is much used by travellers, and traffic is often greatly con

furrowed with enormous ravines, stands like a sentinel at the junction of the two fjords, with snow-crested Steganaase behind, rearing its mighty peaks to the skies. Huge perpendicular buttresses wall in the f

e left, farther up the fjord, stands Aurland, or Vangen, the principal village in the fjord parish ("vasbygd") of Aur

the Flaamsdal (the valley of the swollen river),

en-Christiania Railway, and near the Hallingdal entrance to the long Graveh