“NOW, LOOK AT THESE CHOCKAS”!!!
“NOW, LOOK AT THESE CHOCKAS”!!!
One thing is quite certain, the appetite of the two mountaineers had not lost anything by the expedition. Breakfast being completed, we adjourned with our note-book to the cool shade of some rocks just above the road. Esmeralda came to talk to us as we wrote. Two or three lines went tolerably easy, then the pencil and note-book glided from our hand, and we fell fast asleep till mid-day.
As we awoke, we perceived the silent figure of Esmeralda still watching by us. It was found to be time for dinner and we returned to our tents.
Two Swedish travellers were at Rödsheim. They had visited our tents before we returned from the Galdhöpiggen. One young traveller spoke some English; he said we came to see the pretty valleys and the pretty girls, but we see no pretty girls. We went to a sæter, and they offer us a bed, but we see it was dirt, and sleep in the grass. He then asked them if we could speak Romany. “Oh, yes,” said Zachariah, “he taught us, sir.” Then he inquired how we learned it. “I don’t know, sir,” answered Zachariah, “but he has books.”
In arranging our things before tea time, we fancied that the aquavit in our flask had somewhat diminished since the replenishment for the two artists. The subject being mentioned to Esmeralda, for we were always plain with them, Noah seemed so hurt, that at last our suspicions were disarmed. We were not very certain; we, at any rate, blamed Noah for buying such brandy at Veblungsnœs; it was peculiarly muddy in appearance. We had always found Noah honest, so we ultimately left the matter in the same inextricable confusion we had found it, freely giving him the benefit of all doubt. Having written a letter or two and entered a memorandum of our ascent in the guest-book at Ole’s, he came to our tents and had tea. As we left the house to return to our tents we met the two artists at the door, Who we found were going to remain at the station for the night.
Ole Rödsheim had given us so much satisfaction as guide, that we determined to engage him again. Wepaid him three dollars, two marks, and twelve skillings for his previous services, which included our ascent of the Galdhöpiggen. Another engagement was made to take us through the mountains to the Mörk Fos, andviâEisbod and the Tyen Vand to the Bergen road, near Skogstad. It was arranged that he should have four marks a day and two days’ pay, eight marks more, for his return home; this amount to include Ole’s board and lodging.
Having carefully gone through the maps of the different routes with Ole, we decided to start the next day.
The blacksmith, who was a sober, sedate looking man, had come occasionally to the log hut during the day to make our kettle prop in the most approved gipsy fashion, size, and shape. Imagine his horror and astonishment, when he returned, after an absence, to find Mephistopheles hammering a piece of iron into some inconceivable shape; sparks flying, tools freely used, fire blazing, and anvil ringing. The usurpation was almost too much for him. With a caution to Zachariah to keep to his own affairs, and explaining the matter to Ole as an unfortunate instance of out-of-place ingenuity, the kettle prop was ultimately finished and Noah’s Alpine stock mended at a cost of three marks and a half.
This was to be our last evening at Rödsheim. We were honoured by a visit from one of the beaux of the village, who danced at Laurgaard. Alas! there was no more dancing for our beau. The girls were either engaged in the harvest or at the Sœters. All the peasants were now busy in their harvest. The farmer was carrying hay on the steep slope of the valley oppositeour tent. Ole had a large flock of goats brought in; the largest number we saw together in Norway. The handsome artist, whose photograph hung in the station at Rödsheim, came to see our tents at about ten at night; we were just going to bed, so he did not remain long. The Swedish travellers had left, we hope, to see many pretty girls before they returned home. We did not see them to speak to, or we should have recommended them to visit Skeaker.
Tolerably well rested, we were up at six o’clock on Tuesday, the 2nd of August. At seven we had breakfast of broiled bacon, bread, and tea; Noah soon after struck the tents, and the things were packed up; a goat’s cheese and a “myse ost,”94and all the bread Ole could spare, was added to our commissariat. The station at Rödsheim is well supplied with excellent bread, beer, tea, biscuits, potatoes, and, in fact, most requirements which constitute the comfort of the hungry tourist. They are comfortable quarters, and the house very clean and well ventilated. We had no opportunity of seeing the sleeping accommodation, but if we could form an opinion from what we saw below, we have very little doubt that travellers are well cared for in that respect.
Our cost for provisions, butter, cheese, bread, potatoes, eggs, and milk, came to two dollars, three marks, and fifteen skillings; and we paid three marks, eight skillings additional postage of lettersviâLom. Some of the bread and cheese we took with us for future consumption. At ten o’clock we took our departure afterwe had wished Mrs. Rödsheim farewell. She was a quiet, delicate, person, but very neat and industrious and attentive. The artists were still companions of Morpheus, so we left them a song each, and made Mrs. Rödsheim the present of an English book. To Ole, also, we gave one of our songs. We also left the last “London News,” and copies of the “Standard” at the station, and so ended our pleasant visit at Rödsheim.
Noah and Zachariah went on before us with the merles and baggage. Ourself and Esmeralda sat upon a rock a short distance above Rödsheim waiting for Ole to come up. The valley at this point widens; the river is very broad, shallow, and picturesque, before it loses itself in the deep rocky gorge at Rödsheim.
The scene was so charming and the morning so lovely we could have lingered there with hours of pleasure. In the distance up the valley we could see the small wooden church of Bœverdal; but Ole is come, and we must away.
Ole equipped for the mountains. He had high Norwegian boots, lacing up, much resembling the ladies’ Alpine tourist boot, but of course of rougher make. Ole had left his dark coat behind him, so as to be more at ease. His trousers were tied round the leg below the knee with pieces of cord; he had his knapsack, wallet, and staff. The photograph represents Ole Halvorsen, of Rödsheim, near Lom, as he appears in his coat. We esteemed ourselves fortunate in having secured the services of a guide in every way trustworthy, and thoroughly acquainted with an extensive region of mountain land. Ole was in the best period of his life, when man’s strength and experience unite in maturity; as thethe companion of the reindeer hunter and Alpine tourist he is invaluable; never makes difficulties, speaks English well, will do the best he can to save expense, talks little, but to the purpose, is always ready for a start at whatever early hour you name. Turning along the mountain road from the valley to the left of the church, we overtook Noah and Zachariah. We were told that service is performed in the church every fourth Sunday. It was built, Ole said, for 2000 dollars; 500 dollars from Government, 500 dollars secured by a chief rent, and 1000 dollars contributed by the inhabitants. Not much of our morning route had been accomplished, when we came to a narrow bridge over a wild, rapid, foaming, torrent, rushing over a declivity. Vain was our attempt to get any of the donkeys over the bridge. It was amusing to see the fierce contention; gipsies pulling, gipsies pushing, Ole and ourself mixed up in the general struggle without avail. Then we determined to force them through the torrent, which rushing swiftly over large stones, and then falling in cascades below, was difficult to wade. We could not remain all day. One donkey was forced in, and got safe through; another, also, but the third, which was rather heavily laden, would not stir till Mephistopheles suddenly jumped on the top of the baggage. The donkey was soon staggering through, guided by Zachariah in the rough rocks of the stream. For a moment, the animal faltered in its foot-hold. Are they both to be carried down the roaring cascades? Another plunge, and by good fortune, the donkey reached firm ground and more shallow water; they were soon safely landed.
Very thankful we were that Zachariah had come outof the adventure safely. We had no desire to lose our Mephistopheles, and if he had not suddenly mounted on the spur of the moment we should have prevented him from incurring such a risk.
The route was delightful; sometimes through forest scenes and along the mountain stream, till at last we came to the Elv Sœter at about half-past twelve o’clock.
The Elv Sœter is now a large farm, though originally it was, as the name indicates, probably nothing but a mountain sœter.
What if in yonder chief, of tattered vest,Glows the same blood that warmed a Pharaoh’s breast?—If in the fiery eye, the haughty mien,The tawny hue of yonder gipsy queen,Still dwells the light of Cleopatra’s charms,The winning grace that roused the world to arms—That called Rome’s legions to a watery grave,And bound earth’s lord to be a woman’s slave?Dean Stanley’sPrize Poem, “The Gipsies.”
What if in yonder chief, of tattered vest,Glows the same blood that warmed a Pharaoh’s breast?—If in the fiery eye, the haughty mien,The tawny hue of yonder gipsy queen,Still dwells the light of Cleopatra’s charms,The winning grace that roused the world to arms—That called Rome’s legions to a watery grave,And bound earth’s lord to be a woman’s slave?Dean Stanley’sPrize Poem, “The Gipsies.”
THE ELV SŒTER—A MOUNTAINEER—THE YTTERDAL SŒTER—TO MAKE GRÖD—THE GRÖD STICK—EVENING CONCERT—A WILD NIGHT—THE WATERFALL—MOUNTAIN GLACIERS—THE LERA ELV—CAMP BY A GLACIER—NOMADIC HAPPINESS—A GIPSY MÄELSTROM—INSECT LIFE.
The wooden buildings are large and capacious and in good order, and one portion of the building was surmounted by a cupola, with a large bell to call the farm people to meals. We noticed two enormous pine-tree logs as we passed through the yard of the farm. Near a log hut, a short distance beyond the farm-house, we camped at the edge of the deep, narrow ravine, in the depth of which we could hear the sound of the river below. Ole said we could have some reindeer meat, and, going to the farm, we were shown a cask half full of salted reindeer, in a dark store under a sort of granary. For one mark we purchased about four pounds weight, without bone. There was a kind ofcrate near, with a small gröd span in it, a sort of barrel for carrying food. We afterwards purchased a rope made of pigs’ bristles, very light and useful, and nine pounds of barley-meal, and another mark’s worth of reindeer meat. The whole cost—
Ole said the reindeer had been killed some time, and when we seemed to doubt whether it was killed in season, he remarked it occasionally happened that they were killed by accident. The reindeer hunter came to our camp when we were having our fried reindeer and tea. He was the son of the widow of the owner of the farm, and she was then at a sœter. The reindeer hunter was a tall, spare, active young fellow, fair, with his hair cut short. He wore a Norwegian cloth cap, a coarse shirt, without necktie, secured at the neck by a large silver button. His loose trousers were faced with dark leather, and also the seat; large Wellington boots of pliable rough leather came up to nearly his knee, with red leather let into their tops. He had something of the bearing of Slim-slam, our friend at Laurgaard, and histout ensemblewas decidedly picturesque. Ole told us he had once been out with some artists upon the mountains with a tent.
Our gipsies packed up and we left about half-past four o’clock, which afforded us sufficient time to enter up our notes. Our way is now through forest scenes, up a rough mountain road. At no very great distanceon our right we had “Raudals Vand,” a large lake, and the “Blaahö,” and “Hest-bræ-piggene” mountains. Sometimes we were close to the Lera Elv; at other times our route took us more into the forest. Often we lingered to make a hasty sketch, and then Esmeralda would wait on the side of the route lest we should miss the track in the forest. No hobbenengree could be more careful of the Shorengro of the expedition. Later in the evening a mizzling rain fell, and at last we crossed the river through a shallow ford. Near the river, below a lofty mountain, we reached the Ytterdal Sœter.
The Ytterdal Sœter consisted of a collection of log huts, with a loose stone-wall paddock behind. Cows, goats, and bristly pigs were scattered about the trampled ground among the rocks close to the sœter. Down the steep mountain above we could see a picturesque vand fos. When we came to the sœter a shepherd’s dog kept up a constant barking which Mephistopheles did his best to perpetuate until sharply rebuked.
Ole and Noah then went round the house to select a camp ground in the inclosure. All was damp with drizzling rain, as our gipsies drove the donkeys through a broken gap in the wall, and pitched our tents in the corner of the inclosure, near the sœter. Being rather damp we changed our things, and then decided to have gröd for our aftens-mad. Ole went to prepare the gröd at the sœter; the rest went to learn the method of making it. First, he filled the large iron pot of the sœter with water, to which he added a small quantity of salt, and a little barley-meal; the water boiled in twelve minutes; then the woman placed the large end of the short gröd-stick in the boiling water, and keptrapidly swirling it backwards and forwards between the palms of her hands, whilst Ole added from time to time barley-meal from the bag, till the proper consistency was obtained; the pot was taken off the fire in about three minutes after the water commenced boiling; the gröd was then ready to be eaten. This, with a large can of milk, was carried to our tents for the evening’s meal.
It is usual when the gröd is eaten for each person to have two small bowls, one containing milk and the other the gröd, and then a spoonful of gröd is taken and dipped in the milk and so eaten. Our party afterwards dispensed with two bowls, the gröd and milk being put into one bowl, which saved trouble, with the same result.
The wooden bowl, and the wooden spoon, and the gröd-stick, which is made of a small fir sapling taken up by the roots and peeled, and the roots and stump cut to the length required, we purchased for twelve skillings next morning from the woman of the Ytterdals Sœter, and they are represented in the following engraving.
Some of the gröd we reserved for breakfast, and it is considered all the better after it has been kept for a short time.
Noah informed us at tea that he should let into the pobengree (gip., cider) when he reached England, and have a good soak. Gently, Noah, or there will be none left for anyone else.
The women of the sœter were all lightly dressed, a chemise and a petticoat being nearly all they had on; They keep about twenty cows, and make from thirty to forty cheeses in the summer season, which sell for fourmarks each. We counted forty-five goats near the sœter. The woman’s husband was engaged at the harvest in the lower valley.
GRÖD-STICK AND BOWL, LEIRDALEN.
GRÖD-STICK AND BOWL, LEIRDALEN.
It was very dark as we went to the sœter, after our evening meal was concluded. We found three other women there. The room was scrupulously clean. It is certainly the most comfortable, and cleanly sœter, we met with during our wanderings; they had a good bedstead, convenient fire-place, and a very ingenious folding table. It was a curious scene, as we played our music by the fire-light and watched their interested countenances. The women were very fair. All mountain races are fond of music. It would seem as if the quickened instincts of the people, whose lot is cast so much in mountain scenes, are attuned to harmony with nature. The women seemed much pleased. The room was dreadfullyhot and we had the door propped open, which was the cause of occasional contests with a tame goat, who seemed determined to come in. At last we were glad to escape the heat and went out into a dark, windy, rainy night. It poured with rain as we got to our tents, yet we did not envy Ole Rödsheim his night’s rest in the hot room of the sœter; but hot and cold seemed all the same to Ole; Then the rain came down so heavily it began to come into our tent, and a trench being now dug round it we soon fell asleep.
The gröd and some more milk formed our frokost, and saved tea, sugar, bread and butter. Mixed occasionally with other food it is excellent for the mountains where you can have fresh milk at the sœters. The nutriment was quite sufficient for mountain work. A meal of gröd and milk for five hungry people cost on an average the sum of about sixpence. The cost of the five kops of milk at the sœter was twenty skillings.95The woman seemed well satisfied with eight skillings for the trouble we had given her. The two pounds of butter we purchased to take with us cost two marks more.
Whilst the donkeys were being loaded, taking Zachariah with us, we went to see the waterfall above the sœter. The torrent dashes from the steep mountain above, and descends in fleecy clouds to the broken rocks below. Occasionally, above the continuous sound of the falling waters, we could hear a rattling roar, as if loose rocks were suddenly dashed about in the waters far above. Then all subsided into the same constant hum of the falling torrent. It is picturesque, but quite below comparisonwith many we had before seen, especially in Romsdal.
When we returned, and were ready to start, we missed Ole, Noah, and Esmeralda, who we at last found eating best fladbröd and cheese in the sœter. It was a present from the woman.
Saying adieu to the women of the sœter, we now left at ten o’clock. The fir woods had been left behind, and we proceeded up the wild valley of the Lera from the Ytterdals Sœter.
The Vesle Fjeld and its glaciers were on the right bank of the Lera. One peak of dark rock rising from glaciers on either side, Ole said had never been ascended. Ole said Messrs. Boyson and Harrison were much pleased with the scenery.
At the sœter Ole had found one of Mr. Boyson’s spoons, which had been left there, and he was going to return it. We were told that at one place Mr. Boyson had accidentally left a bag containing £30, but of course in Norway it was perfectly safe, and was afterwards restored safely to his possession.
The sun became very hot. Esmeralda and Zachariah both rode upon the baggage of their donkeys. The road now became a more narrow track. All the donkeys were evidently suffering from the heat. The Puru Rawnee had fallen once, and the Tarno Rye, after falling with Esmeralda two or three times, was unloaded, and we halted at some rocks above a waterfall on the Lera.
It was an exceedingly warm spot, with no shade. The second piece of reindeer meat was boiled in our kettle, with some potatoes. Though rather salt, the soup was excellent. Some of the boiled meat and potatoes werealso eaten, and washed down with spring water. After middags-mad we tried to write our notes, and fell fast asleep. In fact, we were all disinclined to move, but managed to start about four o’clock.
Mephistopheles was in high spirits. Noah was very lively, which soon ended in a disagreement with Esmeralda. We had to quiet the contending parties. The offence charged against Noah we noted down, and it was a serious one. In a surreptitious manner Noah had possessed himself of his sister’s cloak, which he had tried on, with an attempted imitation of herdistinguéstyle of stepping over the rough banks of the Lera Elv. In Noah’s clumsy imitation of his sister’s movements, which were just the reverse of clumsy, he contrived to poke a hole through the Alpine cloak. We say no more, only we refer the reader to a paragraph of the short extracts from Prœsten Sundt’s work, in our Appendix, and, as there described, we feared similar results.
At about seven o’clock we encamped. The donkeys had done better in the cool of the evening; it was decided that they had quite enough to carry, without the addition of extra weight, especially over the rough and stony route before us. Adhering firmly to this resolve, unless for the purpose of crossing some river, the animals enjoyed this immunity for the rest of our wanderings. The part of the valley where we had halted for the night was very wild; there was very little verdure, except some low stunted bushes, moss, and heath. Ole and the gipsies gathered heath enough to make a fire for tea. The tents were pitched exactly opposite the “Smörstab Bræen” (Butter glacier). We contemplated with interest an outline of sharp dark peaks rising before us.Close to us, on the east side of the Lera Elv, extended the glacier of the “Blaabræen.” Beyond we could see the Tverbottenhornene. A short distance from our camp we found a deserted cabin occasionally used by reindeer hunters.
It is with much pleasure we are able to say that Noah and Esmeralda were not prevented, by results similar to those described in the paragraph referred to in the Appendix, from appearing at tea.
There was something sohors de voyage ordinairein our wandering existence, so charming in the freshness of wild nature, so free from conventional restraint, lingering in regions not yet spoilt by so-called art, and disfigured by man’s attempts at civilisation. All was so silent, as we looked from our camp fire in delighted contemplation of the great glacier of the “Smörstab,” and the sharp-peaked mountains separating us, as it were, from other worlds. We had escaped for a time, the thousand and one cares, which beset us on every side in dense populations, and had left far behind those scenes, and voluptuous lures, which the poet saithMeek Peace was ever wont to shun.
Tea was cleared away by our energetic hobbinengree. We often silently congratulated ourselves that the tea service was of tin, such was the rapidity with which they sometimes vanished into her kettle bag.
Mr. Rödsheim, as the gipsies generally called Ole, commenced the manufacture of birchwood cruppers for our animals, in anticipation of steep mountain ways, and he also engaged his time on some hobbles of the same wood, which we wished to take to England. Then, asnight came fast upon us, Ole selected his bed between two large rocks; with our spade he made with rough sods a sort of turf coffin, about a foot deep, over which he placed a large mass of heath roots, and moss which he had peeled off the ground, the moss being turned downwards; then our waterproof was placed over all. When his bed was ready, he proposed that we should start at five o’clock the next morning.
NORWEGIAN BIRCHWOOD CRUPPER.
NORWEGIAN BIRCHWOOD CRUPPER.
“I shan’t get up at five o’clock!” shouted Esmeralda, in a shrill voice, which nearly broke the drum of Ole’s right ear. “I don’t care; I shan’t get up to please anybody!”
Noah and Zachariah looked at one another, as much as to say, “Dawdy! she’s up; may our good shorengero land safely on the other side.”
“The next day’s journey is a long one,” suggested Ole, slowly recovering; and we promptly decided for half-past five. Ole screwed himself into his turf coffin, and, wrapping his head in his woollen shawl, we laid thewaterproof over him, and he was comfortable for the night.
“Well,” said we to Esmeralda, being determined to maintain discipline, “you shall please yourself, but remember we move on in good time to-morrow.” Our hobbenengree was at once a study, which would have made the fortune of an artist.
For a time we wrote up our notes, till the shadows of night descended on the dark peaks, and a chill air came from the Smörstab glacier, when we retired to rest.
Our sleep the next morning was disturbed by Ole asking for matches and paper to light a fire. Very shortly we joined him. “Now, Zachariah!’—vand! vand!” Zachariah and Noah were soon up. We had only made eight miles yesterday, and it was a long day’s journey to reach the Utladal Stöl. The morning was windy, with a heavy dew, but we could see the sun creeping down the opposite mountain peaks, promising a hot day.
Tea was soon ready; a tin of potted meat was opened, and spread upon slices of bread. All four commenced breakfast with a good appetite.
When Esmeralda found that we did not attempt to disturb her, it is wonderful how quick she appeared, and the tents were immediately after packed up. Our camp was about 4,000 feet above the level of the sea. We observed some cow-dung flies and spiders in our tent before it was packed up.
The rugged peaks of the Tverbottenhornene (signifying peaks of the pass from one valley to another) rose before us. What a line of dark peaks! The scenery of this valley is extremely wild.
“That the language of the Hindoos and that of the ancient Egyptians may have sprung from the same root is very probable; nay, it is almost certain. The language of the latter is alostlanguage, that of the gipsies afoundone, claimed by and for no other people. All these things tend to confirm the surmise (may I say the fact?), that the gipsies are the long-dispersed Egyptians. To talk of their being Sondras (without showing a miraculous change of nature), would be as absurd as to affirm that they were expelled Esquimaux.”The Gipsies.BySamuel Roberts.
“That the language of the Hindoos and that of the ancient Egyptians may have sprung from the same root is very probable; nay, it is almost certain. The language of the latter is alostlanguage, that of the gipsies afoundone, claimed by and for no other people. All these things tend to confirm the surmise (may I say the fact?), that the gipsies are the long-dispersed Egyptians. To talk of their being Sondras (without showing a miraculous change of nature), would be as absurd as to affirm that they were expelled Esquimaux.”
The Gipsies.BySamuel Roberts.
THE VIRGIN PEAK—ESMERALDA IN THE LERA—A DRIPPING NEREID—HEAVY CLOUDS—THE CHURCH MOUNTAIN—WILD REINDEER—WHERE’S THE TEA?—SINGULAR GLACIER—VALLEY OF RED SANDSTONE—THE HUNTER’S CAVE—THE UTLADAL STÖL—THE MUMPLY VALLEY—FLÖDSGRÖD—A MOUNTAIN STÖL—A ROUGH PATH—THE PURU RAWNEE’S ESCAPE—THE NARROW BRIDGE.
At eight o’clock we wereen routeup the valley, and at length came in sight of the steep, dark, and pointed mountain called “Kirken,” or “Church Mountain.” This mountain reminded us very much of the “Trifaen Mountain,” near the gloomy lake called Llyn Idwal, in North Wales, which we once ascended. Even the barren sterility of the “Trifaen,” and the shores of Llyn Idwal, and the “Devil’s Kitchen” above; the stony wastes of the glyders, and the rugged pass of Llanberis, have no scenes of extreme desolation, and absence of vegetable and animal life, similar to some of the wilder Norwegian valleys through which we wandered. “Kirken,” we were told,had never been ascended. Had time permitted, we should have been much tempted to have spent some days on the shores of the lake near.
Alas! the Norwegian summer is too fleeting. When we came up the valley, near the Leir Vand, which is 4736 feet above the sea, Ole proposed that the party should cross the Lera. It was a tolerably wide, rapid, broken stream, where the donkeys had to cross.
Ole and myself went some distance up the river, and Ole soon crossed. We were preparing to do so, when we saw Mephistopheles, mounted on the top of his loaded donkey, stemming the rapid waters of the Lera in the distance below.
The loaded Puru Rawnee was also bravely struggling in the rapid current of the river for the other bank.
Then, as we turned again, we saw Esmeralda’s blue feather flaunting in the wind, as, mounted on the baggage of her loaded donkey, she was plunging across the rough bed of the river, when, oh! the Tarno Rye has made a false step! Our baggage gone—saturated and spoilt! Instantaneously, a fearful splash: Esmeralda is tumbled into the river, and the baggage saved.
Are those sounds of suppressed lamentation we hear from Ole and Mephistopheles, on the bank of the Lera? It seemed to us more like laughter than anything else we ever heard.
We were too far off to render assistance, before we saw the dripping form of our high-spirited gipsy girl rise from the cold icy waters of the Lera. Esmeralda looked like a beautiful Nereid—a wild water-nymph. Her long raven hair, now without a hat, glistened with the falling moisture of a thousand spangles in the sun. Will no oneplunge in to help her? Would we were there! Now she has reached the shore. Crossing the river we were soon with our party. Esmeralda was very wet. Although the stream was not very deep, falling in as she did, her clothes were completely soaked. The straw hat and blue feather, carried off by the stream, was recovered some distance below.
The cold waters of the Lera had not improved the temper of our hobbenengree. We offered her our best consolation, and at once proceededen routeas the best means of drying her clothes. Heramour proprehad been touched by the laughter of Noah and Zachariah.
Ole, with his usual tact, went as far in advance as was compatible with his duties as guide.
Mephistopheles, in his most insinuating tones, said: “Dawdy, wouldn’t the Rye have gone into the panee to save his Romany Juval? Wouldn’t you, sir?”
“And why didn’t he do so?” said Esmeralda, sharply. “Nobody stirred; I might have drowned over and over again for what they cared.”
“Well, daughter, we were just agoin’ in,” said Noah, with a grim smile.
“Going!” shouted Esmeralda; “go to Gorsley, and see Lizzy. Ambrose can do it; can’t he? What a state he makes himself over everybody else.”
Now Noah was up. Esmeralda, by her allusion to Gorsley, had hit Noah in some vulnerable place.
The pretty little donkey, which had done its best with a heavy load, and the addition of Esmeralda’s weight, was of course severely anathematized; but, strange to say, like the little jackdaw in the “Ingoldsby’s Legends,” it seemed “never a penny the worse.”
Indeed, Esmeralda was very angry; but at last she became more cheerful in proportion as her clothes became more dry. We were still in sight of the Leir Vand. There are no fish in it, or apparently in the Lera Elv. Kirken (Church) Mountain is extremely steep and picturesque. This view of Kirken (Church) Mountain, steep, dark, and escarpé, and of the Tverbottenhornene, the dark rocky mountain to the left, standing almost isolated and apart, as seen from a point of view in the Gravdal, we sketched during our mid-day halt.
KIRKEN MOUNTAIN, FROM GRAVDAL.
KIRKEN MOUNTAIN, FROM GRAVDAL.
We were not far from the Lang Vand and Visdal. Ole said that four valleys commence near Church Mountain: Visdal, Leirdal (Clay Valley), Gjendindal and Gravdal(Valley of the Grave). Four rivers have also their source here: Visa Elv, Lera Elv, Gjendin Elv, Gravdal Elv. We had to ford several smaller streams, and our route lay over a wild, sterile, stony tract, among picturesque, sharp, peaky mountains. We could see the peaks of Uledals Tinderne, one of which was soon afterwards ascended by Messrs. Browne. Coming at length to a small lake, we distinctly saw on a glacier below a mountain called by Ole the Hogvarden Tind (Peak of the High Pass), a herd of about forty-five wild reindeer. We were not very far from them. Under the shelter of scattered rocks we could have had a still closer view. Ole regretted he had not brought a rifle. They might have been stalked easily. The sun was also in our favour. Although for some time we were in view of the reindeer, they did not notice us, and when we went out of sight the herd were still on the glacier. It was a beautiful sight as we watched them on the sloping snow. Descending down the valley, we called a halt at a large rock near a small mountain stream. We had accomplished a distance of about eight or nine miles. It was about twelve o’clock. Not far from where we halted runs Simledal (Hart’s Valley), and beyond us Ole pointed out the direction of the Raudal (Red Valley).
We were now in our element. How could we be unhappy in such picturesque scenes, pure nature, pure air, free existence? Even our gipsies were in keeping with the rough unhewn rocks and wild flowers of this unfrequented region. Just at this point of reflection Mephistopheles, who was boiling our can of water over a fire of heath roots and moss, called out in a melancholy screaming tone of voice, exactly imitating his sister at our campthe evening before, “Where’s the tea? Zachariah!! where’s the tea?” It was so true to tone and manner that, braving Esmeralda’s displeasure, even Ole joined in the laugh. All was immediately fun and merriment in our camp. Even Esmeralda deigned to laugh. The reindeer meat, boiled the day before, was fried with potatoes. This with tea formed an excellent meal—in fact, Ole said many in Lom never had such a dinner.
Our gipsies were full of fun. Zachariah put up an impromptu tent with two of our tent raniers and an Alpine stock, to shade Ole from the sun, and he at once fell asleep. Then Zachariah contrived one for himself, which was taken possession of by Noah, after a mimic battle. Esmeralda put the things away, and all took their siesta, while we made two sketches and entered up our diary. At twenty minutes to four our party were againen routedown the valley.
The donkeys were quickly loaded. Over rough uneven ground we descended the valley until we were below the picturesque Storbeatind and its singular glacier.96Ole said it was so called, and that the Utladal Elv derived its source from the Gravdal Vand. The river from this singular glacier branched into many streams. Between two sterile steeps the glacier narrows in its course and falls abruptly into the valley.
Above the almost straight line of glacier wall we saw an isolated, lofty, peculiarly-shaped mass of ice, which put us in mind of one of the ice cliffs in the Glacier des Bossons at Mont Blanc, so well represented by Coleman in his “Scenes from the Snow Fields, or the Upper IceWorld.”97The glacier seemed to overhang the narrow valley. The approaching night added to its picturesque effect.98
Ole crossed the river at some rocks below. Noah, Zachariah, and Esmeralda crossed with the donkeys. They all had to stand a thorough drenching of their legs and feet in the ice cold-water fresh from the glacier. Esmeralda stood it manfully. We went a short distance below, and, taking off our trousers, boots, and stockings, waded through. The cold was intense. As we came up with our party, they had just seen a reindeer; it was coming towards them, and was quite close before it perceivedour party and turned again. Zachariah gave chase; but it slowly made its way among some loose rocks, and he lost sight of it.
ICE CLIFF, STORBEATIND GLACIER.
ICE CLIFF, STORBEATIND GLACIER.
The track was now extremely rugged, tortuous, and steep at times. We had several streams to cross, and made our way with difficulty. In crossing one narrow brook Zachariah’s donkey, which was very sure footed, slipped back, and part of its load, containing Ole’s things in a pig’s bristle bag, and the pocket containing Noah’s blankets, and our kettle bag, got slightly wet before we could get it out.
There was no time to lose; on we went, and at lengthwe came to a very interesting steep mountain way between red rocks. Here we had the Red Sandstone formation suddenly appearing near mountains of gneiss. The gipsies had hard work of it. Each of the donkeys had to be carefully led, and the loads steadied. Sometimes the loads, in going down a steep descent, would slip forwards, and in ascending would get nearly over the animal’s tail; so that the load had to be readjusted. We did the best we could with Ole’s impromptu cruppers. It was hard work for Esmeralda; but we relieved her as much as possible. Ole was ever at hand when a difficulty occurred.
We must say that our gipsies stuck to their work bravely. It was not long after we had come to the Red Sandstone rocks, that the Puru Rawnee slipped backwards into some deep boggy ground. It was impossible to avoid at times such mishaps. We had sometimes no choice, and on we must go. Noah, Ole, and Zachariah, at last, by pushing and lifting and dragging, got it out.
Mephistopheles, whose loud laugh rang amongst the rocks, was ever gay; but his laughter became wonderfully like poshavaben (gip., false laughter), when Ole said, in joke: “Master Zâkē], we shall have to cross the river just now.”
Night was rapidly drawing on, and we had not yet reached the Utladal Stöl. At last we came to a romantic reindeer hunter’s cave. It had a narrow entrance in the rocks; no outlet for the smoke from the inside but the entrance. Traces of fire remained, and we noticed marks on a bank near where the hunters had tried their rifles. We had only time to explore it, and make a hasty sketch.
Shortly afterwards, just at dusk, we came to the open ground of the Utladal Stöl. It was a small melancholy valley. On a rise of ground, a short distance from us, we could see the stöl or sœter built of loose stones, one story high with one window. Somehow the stöl had a dismal deserted appearance. Some cows were grazing near.
We were close to the river, some hillocks covered with low bushes only intervening. The donkeys were very tired, and it was just nine o’clock. Even Noah was out of sorts. The cows rendered the camp ground far from desirable. There was no time for much choice, or we should have tried some other ground. The woman of the sœter was out, so that we could not have cream porridge as intended. A small boy represented the woman. Our tents were quickly put up. Noah said he liked places where you could see plenty of people. This was the only camp ground we had disliked through our wanderings. It seemed like a valley where a dozen suicides had been committed, supplemented by an undiscovered murder. Though the influences were dull and gloomy, we made an excellent meal of tea with fried ham, and Ole informed us that the woman had returned, and we could have “flödsgröd” the next morning.
Ole, in answer to our inquiries, said that there were no fish in the Utladals Elv, only newts, black-looking water lizards, sometimes called “asgals,” in England “lacerta palustris.” There were no birds; even the “philomela lascinia,” or one-headed nightingale, usually considered a foolish bird and easily caught, was not fool enough to perch in this valley.
Ole retired as quickly as he could to occupy the bed at the stöl, where we were told Messrs. Boyson and Harrison had stayed one night—we do not say slept, for we are extremely uncertain whether they did so.
Notwithstanding the Romany chaff—for the gipsies were blowing great guns during tea, and pronounced the place in an impressive manner to be “mumply”—we got an excellent night’s rest in our comfortable tent, lulled quickly to sleep by the rushing waters of the Utladal Elv.
At six o’clock we were performing our matutinal ablutions on the banks of the Utladals Elv, regardless of the newts, who might be staring at such an unusual visitor. Then we had a consultation with Ole about our future route. On reference to our maps and a calculation of the different routes to be followed, it seemed that we should reach Christiania with difficulty at the time we proposed. We sighed for a double summer in such a splendid country for mountaineering. At first we thought of giving up our visit to Mörkfos; then remembering Captain Campbell’s description of this magnificent fall, we determined it must be visited, even if we pushed through the rest of the journey by forced marches.
Our breakfast of “flödsgröd” was prepared by the woman and ready at eight o’clock. For the information of our readers, we will describe how it is made. Two quarts and a half of beautiful cream were boiled by the sœter woman in an iron pot, to which we added some of our barley meal carried from Elvsœter. This was mixed together with the gröd-stick, and carried down to our tent. The flödsgröd was quite sufficient for the breakfastof five persons, and is a dish highly prized by the Norwegians, being eaten without the addition of anything else. It is very rich; the butter from the cream floating about at the top in a melted state.
The two quarts and a half of cream cost us one mark twelve skillings, and we gave the woman four skillings, which Ole suggested as quite sufficient. All the party excepting perhaps Ole, preferred the ordinary gröd with milk.
UTLADAL STÖL, MUMPLY VALLEY.
UTLADAL STÖL, MUMPLY VALLEY.
The woman was a thick-set strong young person who lived alone at the sœter with her little boy. She had plenty of occupation; seventeen cows to milk every day, besides taking care of seventeen goats and twenty sheep.
The Utladal Stöl was built with loose granite stones, earth, and sods, forming one long low building, divided interiorly into three compartments, one opening into the other across the ground floor. They had hardened mud floors. The second room contained a fire hearth andchimney and bed, and was lighted with one small window which did not open; the compartment was used as a dairy. There were three ventilators or holes in the roof, which, by the aid of a long stick attached to a square piece of board, could be lifted or closed at pleasure. The Utladal Stöl was roofed partly with turf and partly with flat stones. In the Bergen Stift we were told that the sœters are called “stöls.” The Utladal Stöl was much like the dwelling-houses which were often met with formerly in the wild parts of Carnarvonshire and other counties in North Wales. In Norway the stöls are not used as dwellings like similar buildings were in former times in Wales. They are only occupied for a short period of the year in summer. Two guns, for shooting reindeer, hung from the roof of one of the rooms.
We were glad to leave, at ten o’clock, this melancholy part of the valley, which is between the Raudals Hö, or Hill of the Red Valley, and the Utladals Axelen. The donkeys were not very fresh, and ascended slowly the steep ascent from the stöl. Esmeralda’s donkey, the Tarno Rye, was rather weak at starting. The Puru Rawnee was stronger, but its back was a little sore. Our cruppers were made of twisted birch twigs wrapped with a piece of carpet. Birch twigs are used for a variety of purposes in Norway—crates, net baskets, hobbles, cruppers, fastenings for sails, oars, withes for gates, &c.
Soon afterwards we descended the other side of the hill towards a stream called the Lille Utladals Elv. The gipsies called it a “slem drom.” Our donkeys made their way with difficulty, and great care had to be usedto keep the loads in place and the donkeys on their legs.
Reaching the rapid waters of the torrent in order to avoid the deep boggy ground on its bank, we were obliged to go upon the loose stones and shelving rocks on the brink of the stream.
In reaching the river the Puru Rawnee had fallen twice, and the second time had broken our tent pole into two pieces. Ole and ourselves took some of the things and carried them to lighten the weight.
The Utladals Elv, by which we had camped the previous night, was roaring between some precipitous rocks just beyond, and flowed into the stream we were following. At the junction we had to cross a narrow bridge over the Utladals Elv.
Some sloping slippery shelving rocks at the brink of the Lille Utladals Elv, had to be crossed to reach the bridge over the other stream. The first attempt was made with the Puru Rawnee, whose legs slipped from under it, and sliding down the slippery rock on its side, was held back by Noah just in time to prevent its going into the river. One end of the pocket was already in the stream, and the Puru Rawnee and our baggage upon her in another minute would have probably been carried down the rapid torrent and lost. Noah succeeded in holding her on the rock till we got some of the baggage unloosed. She was at length recovered, and the other donkeys were afterwards safely guided over the same rock to the bridge.
There was no wading at this part of the Utladals Elv. We had a strong, deep, heavy current of waters rushing with wild impetuosity under the overhanging rocks.High above the foaming waters, a narrow frail bridge, with a wicket and slight hand rail on each side, spanned the river. The Utladals Elv formed its junction just below with the Lille Utladals Elv. Ole stepped across the bridge with I don’t know how many pounds of baggage, on his shoulder, as if he expected the whole cavalcade to followà pas de chasseurs de Vincennes.
As Cadurcis approached, he observed some low tents, and in a few minutes he was in the centre of an encampment of gipsies. He was for a moment somewhat dismayed; for he had been brought up with the usual terror of these wild people; nevertheless, he was not unequal to the occasion. He was surrounded in an instant, but only with women and children; for gipsy men never immediately appear. They smiled with their bright eyes, and the flames of the watch fire threw a lurid glow over their dark and flashing countenances; they held out their practised hands; they uttered unintelligible, but not unfriendly sounds.Disraeli’sVenetia.
As Cadurcis approached, he observed some low tents, and in a few minutes he was in the centre of an encampment of gipsies. He was for a moment somewhat dismayed; for he had been brought up with the usual terror of these wild people; nevertheless, he was not unequal to the occasion. He was surrounded in an instant, but only with women and children; for gipsy men never immediately appear. They smiled with their bright eyes, and the flames of the watch fire threw a lurid glow over their dark and flashing countenances; they held out their practised hands; they uttered unintelligible, but not unfriendly sounds.
Disraeli’sVenetia.
A DIFFICULT CROSSING—AGAIN EN ROUTE—SKÖGADAL SŒTER—SŒTER ACCOMMODATION—SPLENDID SCENERY—THE SKÖGADALS ELV—THE MYSTERIOUS BONE—MOUNTAIN EXPLORATION—THE PACK HORSES—A SLIPPERY FLOOR—MUSIC IN THE SŒTER—FLŒSKEDAL STÖL—THE MÖRK FOS—MAGNIFICENT FALL—THE CLIFF’S EDGE—THE IRIS—ALL PAY AND NO COMFORT—A REINDEER SHOT—THE DESERTED FARM—A MOUNTAIN SHADOW.
The three donkeys looked as if they much preferred remaining where they were. Esmeralda said we should never get over.
Noah said “No donkeys can go over such places as these, sir.”
“What can we do in such ways?”
Even Mephistopheles had not quite shaken off the gloom of our last camp, and looked “mumply.” We did not say much.
“There’s the other side. They must go.”