The Norwegian Fjords

road branches off for Hellesylt, and we drive down a steep, well-wooded valley along the banks of a mountain torrent. The river thunders down a rugged chasm, at times lost to si

urrounded by its own green fields, is passed, and we now obtain a glimpse of the village of Hellesylt, reposing down by the ma

, green foliage the white snow presents the striking contrast of winter and summer side by side. The time of cherry

o Hel

, and to listen to the faint murmur of some distant waterfall; to watch the rays of the westering sun stream from behind the nearer mountain i

shing to look upon. Hardly has the last mountain taken on his silvery hue when a light zephyr breathes softly across the sleeping waters of the fjord in a steely glitter. But what is this weird light that is stealing over all Nature in softest and most delicate blush when we expected

Almost already the first faint signs of dawn appear in the north, where a solitary star is but barely discernible in the pale amber sky; and as we gaze on such a scene with reverent and gr

irange

beauty of Hardanger, and the grandeur of Sogn. Whether we approach this fjord from the land side and drive down the splendidly engineered road in zig

has higher mountains, but S?ndm?re, with its bold, sharp peaks, makes quite as overpowering an

nger

wever, is Knivsflaafos-a bevy of falls who plunge gaily side by side down a high, precipitous cliff into the fjord. Their number varies at different times according to the state of the weat

myriads of large and small douches of water-these, as they descend, pierce through the fine spray which they create, and t

om the sky-line of the high cliff, and spreads its streamers over the face of the dark rock. In stormy weather I have

in close proximity to it is a picturesque waterfall, Gjeitfos (Goat's Fall). The only means of access to this lonely farm is by a dizzy goats' track, which threads its devious way

llage shops for provisions or other necessaries until he had first made quite sure that the "lensmand" (sheriff's officer) was not

imbing and slipping until he came to the ladder. Quickly scaling the rock, the tricky farmer pulled up the ladder after h

large boulders which lie at the foot of the steep cliffs of N?k

n the hard earthen floor, rudely built of stones, stands an elevated hearth-fire, the smoke from which escapes through a square hole in the roof. Over the fire hangs an ancient iron "gryte" (cauldron), suspended from a movable wooden pole. On one side of the room stands a massive bench-like table, on the top of which was placed

ich rested on stones over the peat fire. Through the smoke I could just see on a shelf a few old carved and pa

h-oil ("trail") is burned, and a piece of tow hangs as a wick from the lip of the open heart-shaped saucer which contains the oil. This lamp will

anches of snow, sometimes of rocks, which in the winter

he concussion from which was felt for several miles around, and on the water huge waves were formed, which swept with great

t to

Geiranger at the unearthly hour of 2 a.m., and that in s

wives and children, and the cattle, sheep, and goats. They were on their way to the "s?ter" farms, there to stay for the summer months. A couple of rustic carts were drawn alon

Geiran

, tall standing stakes were placed at intervals in order to guide the tra

f Molde can just be seen across the wide fjord, but it i

mountains of many peaks which surround the far-famed Romsdal were in view most of the time. Cloud shadows chas

Ro

lungsn?s is the older port of call for the fjord steamers, but N?s, being more conveniently placed for travellers visiting the Romsda

e (witch pinnacles) are all crimson and purple with the sunset, and bright tongues of fiery cloud are often seen burning and quivering about them; and the river, brighter than all, fl

hills by singing the "fjeldviser"-musical ditties whose notes are similar

est valleys in the whole of Norway. At N?s the valley is wide, and

he still more lofty pinnacles of Vengetinderne, while on the right are the strikingly picturesque Trolltinderne (witch pinnacles), from whose r

ke; and here the river flows with greater impetuosity, and threads its way thro

tains of

es broader again, and the mountain scener

2,000 feet in height, the chief among these falls being the Vermafos, which assume

ngs, and at Stuefloten attains the height of over 2,000 feet above fjord-level. A

source at the Lake Lesjeskogen to the Romsdals Fjord, and

on-f

d annually by sportsmen for the renting of rivers. Seine nets are also largely used by fishermen. T

, since the practice of bag-netting was introduced some fifty years ago, the proceeds ha

ndid painted ships, with sails of several colours," sailed with fish from Norway to England; and this great industry is still one of the most important in the land, especially the

at sea-

f men are employed. It is carried on all along the coast, but most extensively in the northern part of the country. At

msdal County, sea-cod fishing has always been carried on m

nd rock-dried fish), or as "t?rfisk" (dried stock-fish). The most important product, however, is "klipfisk." It is cleaned and salted at the fishing stations,

Fjord,

tly dry the fish is piled into circular stacks about 4 feet high; a flat wooden cover is then placed on the top, and this is held down by boulders of stone to protect it from the force of the wind. These wooden caps are usually p

The fish in this case, when cleaned, are usually hung up by the tail

stroke of magic, the sea becomes brimful of herring, and then after a short time it is just as suddenly empty again. At such harvest-times the fishermen are very hard at work both day and night, and have barely opportunity to take their food or rest; and as the sea is often rough, and the weather wet and stormy, their calling is at these times fraught with ma

as by day. Even in the southernmost parts of the country the setting sun barely sinks below the horizon from the end of April to the beginning of August, consequently brigh

in July; and at North Cape the midnight sun is visible from May 12 to July

ylight in these high latitudes, and at North Cape the sun is

nd sets at 2.30 p.m., on the shortest days of winter; and at Berge

of the larger fjords. The air is here fresh and bracing, and the five hours of sunshine during even the shortest days make walking, sleighing, and ski-running attractive exercises. On the darkest nights of mid-winter the sky is palpitant with the luminous northern lights-the aurora borealis-which stream

er s

active to pleasure votaries of snow and ice as are those of the Engadine. These sports are h

or, properly, "skil?bning" (leaping on snowshoes). This is the most popular of all their sports, and it is

long before the dawn of the Christian era; and from that remote time to the present the ski has been worn, chiefly by the peasants in mountainous districts, and i

imals a

ld animals and game, and in this respect it is an ideal country for sportsmen. In the great fo

lso the lynx and glutton, although the latter is fast becoming extinct. The Government offers

ndeer in a wild state on the mountain plateaux, and the red de

o

d everywhere "rype" (ptarmigan), and hazel and willow grouse. The l

nt of its down. This bird is most abundant among the northern islands, a

country. It lies sheltered and calm by the blue waters of the Molde Fjord, over whose broad expanse are seen, to the south and east, the magnificent S?ndm?re range of mountains, with thei

s hoar of ea

nt Thor pre

at smile in

isle, farewe

ithjof

N

4 Aandalsn

Society of Christiania, the, 107 Arendal iron-ore mines, 104 Ari Frodi, the Skald, 48 Art of the Viking Age, 29, 31 Arts, industrial, 28, 31 Ar

ailway, 94 Museum, 30 -Voss Railway, 24 Bishoprics, the Norwegian, 139 Boat-building, 13, 16 Boats, ancient forms of, 15 Bod?, 168 Bohnsl?n, 14 Bojumsbr?, 75

duction of, 47, 113 Christmas Eve customs, 53, 56 Church, the Lutheran, 139 tithes, 141 Churches, ancient ("Stav-Kirker"), 29, 51, 107, 113 Climate, 4 Coal on And?en, 104 Cod-fi

ecclesiastical, 139 D?sen, 113 Drink traffic, the, 19 Drives by

o, 143, 146 Eide, 24 Eiderduck, the, 171 Eidfjord, 45 Elk, the, 171 Embroidery, native, 32 Engl

, 60 Fireside "sagas," 52 Fishing industry, the, 16, 163 Fj?rland, 51, 73 Fjord formation, 110 Flaamsdal, 94 Flatmark, 162 Flor?, 118 Folgefond snowfield, the, 28

fanning, 26, 36 Gods, pagan, 48 Gothenburg System, the, 19 Government Grants to Education, 143, 146 Gravehalsen Tunnel, 94 Graven Lake,

n, 48 temples, 49 Hedemarken Amt, 98 Helleristninger (Runes), 13 Hellesylt, 135, 149, 158 Herring-fishing industry, the, 16, 166 High-seat pillars ("stolper"), 50 Hjelle, 123 Hj?rund Fjord, 132, 136, 149 Holmenkollen, 169 Home farm, l

India, Santhal Mission to, 142 Industrial Arts, 30, 32 Ingeborg, 68 Inquisitiveness, native,

ger, 113 Jordalsnuten, 90, 92 Jostedalen,

itchen, an ancient ("R?gestue"), 156 Kjelstadli, 134 Kjendalsbr?, 128 "Klipfisk," 165 Knivsflaa

105 Lamps, ancient, 157 Land

gen Lake, 163 Lind, Jenny, 161 Liquor laws, the, 19 Literature, Icelandic, 48, 61 Loen Vand, 126 L

a, 60 Meteorological Institute, 148 Midnight, sun at, 167 Midsummer's Eve fires, 60 Mining industry, the, 103 Missionary societi

Niffelheim, 49 "Niflung Saga," the, 30 Niord, 49 Norangsfjord, 136 Nordangsdal, 135, 149 Nord Fjord, 117 Nordland, 15, 152 North Cape, the,

ing, 2, 78, 113 Olav Trygvess?n, King, 48, 118 Olden

t proprietorship, 12 Pilot, the Norwegian, 1

4 form of greeting, a, 124

-vand, 37 Rites, heathen sacrificial, 49 River fisheries, 163 Rock carvings, ancient, 13 Roldal, 36, 41 Romsdal, 1

163 Seljestad, 41 "Seven Sisters'" Waterfall, the, 153 Ship-building, 13 Ships, Viking, 14 Silver mines, 103 Sivlefos, 92 Skaalan, 122 "Ski" (a snow-shoe), 99, 170 Skj?ggedalsfos, 35 Skj?rvefos, 26 Skjolden, 111 Slinde, 77 Snorre Sturlas?n, the Skald, 48 Snow-shoes ("ski"), 99, 170 Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Monuments of Antiquity, 51 Sogndal, 77 Sogne Fjord, 67 S?holt, 158 Solvorn, 113 S?dm?re, 132, 152 S?r Fjord, 27, 40 Sorcery, Finn, 57 Spinning wool, 8 S

ege, 148 Thor, the Thunderer, 48 Throndhjem, 105, 168 Timber-felling, 99 Tithes, church, 141 "T?rfisk," 165 Tourist Club, the Norwegian, 111 Travellin

, 94 Underworld, the, 54 University, Roya

ne, 161 Vermafos, 162 Vestnes, 158 Vetle Fjord, 51 Vettisfos, 110 Vide S?ter, 123, 132 Vik in Sogn, 29, 51 "Stav-Kirke" at, 51 Viking Age, the, 47, 48

s at, 64, 87 Wild animals, 170 Winter in Norway, 85, 167 sports, 169 Witchcraft, 58 Wo

" the, 48 Yule

, missio

E

NS, LTD., PRIN

**

WITH THI

RI

R MENPES, R.I. Tex

, and numerous line illustrations in the text.

MA

ORREST. Described

tions in colour. Large crown 8vo

est Indies" which was published a little over a year ago, in the 20

PER EN

ICKE LEWIS. Describ

in colour and a sketch map. Large crow

in length with a mean altitude as high as Ben Nevis. As may be imagined, the air at this height is most bracing, and the mountain sc

limpses of its beautiful scenery. In some we see the valley clothed in its rich summer glory, in others it has donne

the chief resorts of the cosmopolitan crowd that gathers there, with incidental not

H DE

. WIMBUSH. Describ

tions in colour. Large crown 8vo

ch are gems.... Mr. Snell has endeavoured to avoid the guide-boo

H DE

NAFORD. Described by

tions in colour. Large crown 8vo

has a pictorial quality quite distinct from that of the northern portion of the

ERP

LTON HAY. Describe

tions in colour. Large crown 8vo

the city's growth. For modern Liverpool is almost entirely a product of the nineteenth century, and Mr. Scott has therefore regarded it as his duty, less to off

inted for the book by Mr. Hay. They are an effective series of pictures in sympathy w

EL

WALKER, R.H.A. Descr

tions in colour. Large crown 8vo

ume are taken from "Ireland," in the 2

Mr. Frank Mathew is responsible for the letterpress, and it is a pleasure to come across work so careful, so well informed, and so admirable in style.... The pictures in this volume are

C. BLACK, 4, SOHO