The Land of the North Wind; or, travels among the Laplanders and the Samoyedes

Front matter

■ ■ I ■ I THE LAPEANDEES AND SAMOYEDES Frontispiece. SLEDGING OVER THE TUNDRAS TO KAHOLEON (From the Author s Sketch) THE LAND OF THE NORTH WINI) OR TRAVELS AMONG THE LAPLANDERS AND THE SAMOYEDES By EDWARD RAE — f- FELLOW OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE* STREET 1875 The right of translation is reserved TO MY DEAR FATHER MOST GRATEFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY 1 DEVOTE AIY FIRST AND PROBABLY MY ONLY BOOK Christmas Happy is the Man that expecteth nothing, for he avoideth disappointment. yF OLD PERSIA. V PRO VER H. TO THE READER. Esteemed Reader, 1 will venture to beg that your anticipations with regard to the book in your hands may of the most humble nature. I trust that you will en deavour to see in the following pages the simple reproduction of two journals, written from spot to spot, from hour to hour, and originally destined to follow the steps of their several predecessors, and never to emerge into daylight.

In your good nature, bear in mind that this is the rough and shapeless — but to the best of my poor ability, faithful — record, of what befel us personally and men tally in the course of our wanderings. Believe me, you cannot be more sensible than I am of the tediousness of some parts, the inappropriateness and foolishness of many others. You can make no severer criticisms upon the book than I have already made myself : but you will see in it perhaps the reflections of varying circum stances, sometimes of depression, sometimes of exhilara tion, which beset us from time to time. Now and then you will yawn during the perusal, noAv and then TO THE READER. sneer, now and then (who knows ?) you may laugh. On the whole, I think you will be satisfied that, had I contemplated writing anything beyond a customary journal, I should have set about it in a different fashion.

Finally, kind Reader, if in the face of this warning you are willing to venture upon accompanying the Doctor and myself to the rude and boisterous land where the North Wind's home is, you must be satisfied to put up with the same rough fare and disappoint ments that we ourselves endured. So that, to use the words of one of "the most charming masters of the English language, Sir Roger l'Estrange : Though I deliver up these Papers to the Press, I invite no Man to the Reading of them : and whosoever Reads and Repents, it is his own Fault. Yet, if any Man has a mind to take part with me, he has Free Leave, and Welcome. Believe me, dear Reader, Most obediently and faithfully yours, THE AUTHOR. Ciaughtok, Birkenhead . 24 February, 1875. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. Pack

The North Wind doth blow — The Doctor — Decline of Originality — Our Scheme of Travel — Preparations for Journey to Lapland, and Means of Transport ........ 1 CHAPTER H. Embark for Norway — Our Fellow-passengers — Touch at Molde and Christiansund — Arrival at Throndhjem — Reminder of byegone Days — Supplementary Preparations — Cathedral of St. Olaf — Set sail in Steamer Hakon Jarl for the North — Crowded Vessel and deplorable Accommodation — The Libby Prison, late the Tank — An old Friend — Arrive at Bodb* — The branch Steamer for the Lofoden Islands — Orpheus — The Lofodens — Meeting with King Oscar — Reach Tromsb* — Expedition to an Encampment of Laplander's — Good-bye to Tromsb* — Leave the Hakon Jarl at Oxfiord. 6 CHAPTER HI. Voyage on Steamer Nor to Altenflord — First Interview with Midnight Sun — Delay in obtaining Horses — Engage a Laplander as Guide — Leave Bosekop and enter the Lapland Forests — Jones — The Mosquitoes — Crossing of Alten River — Traverse lonely Birch-woods — Gargia — Comforts under Difficulties — Upon the Fjelds — Arrival at Suolovuolme — The Curse of the Arctic Summer — River M&si — Desolation of the Fjelds — Bengis Jarvi — Johannes Strand — We lose Jones' Services — Somerset — Leave for Kauto-keino CONTENTS. X 67

CHAPTER IV. PAGE

Come upon the Alten River — Beach Kauto-keino and take up our Quarters — The Lansmand — In search of the Antique — Bishop Hvoslef — Agreeable Interview with Laplanders — Portraits — John Schefferus, Professor at Upsala, on Lapland and its Inhabitants 42

CHAPTER V.

Farewell to Kauto-keino — Ascend Alten River — -Poling — Raouda Muodki— Bivouac in Silver-birch Forests — Cross the Frontier of Russian Lapland by the Light of the Midnight Sun — AVatershed of Rivers Alten and Muonio — Midnight Rainbow — Suajarvi — Tame AVhite Reindeer — Rambling over Fjelds and through Forests — Come upon River Muonio — Karesvando — Farewell to Brick and Somerset — Embark on the River — Shooting Rapids — Finlanders: our Boatmen — Their Language — Palajoki — Pass the Night on the River — Muonioniska — Take Herr Forsstrom's Household at Muoniovara by Storm — Luxury — Swedish and Russian Laplands — Abraham, our Pilot — A Finlandish Bath — Take Leave of our Hosts — Acerbi on the Lappiafors — Regnard.

CHAPTER VI.

Descend the Cataract of Muuniokoski — Impressive Sight — Halt at Muonionalusta — Continue our Journey down the Muonio — Our new Companions — Ariovara — Kindly Reception — Mosquitoes abating — Success of Remedy — Wild Reindeer — Narrow Escape at Kengis Cataract — Enter upon the TorneS River — Kardis — Pello and approach to Civilisation — Rapid of Kettilafors — Recross the Polar Circle — Avasaxa — Matarengi — Karyol Journey — Aged and eccentric Companion — Haparanda . . . .84 CHAPTER VH Cross the River to TorneS — The Old Church — Our Quarters in Haparanda — Expedition to the Kemi River — Billiards under the Arctic Circle — Disquieting Mile-posts — Misconstructions — CONTENTS. XI PAGE 114 Rapids on the K<5mi River — An Entertaining Acquaintance — Old Stone Church of Kemi — Mummies of the Bishops — Return to TorneS — Farewell to Haparanda — Embark upon the Aawasaksa — The Last of the Midnight Sun 98

CHAPTER VIII.

Arrival at UleSborg — Our Friend Rae — The Cathedral — Sunday in the northern Capital of Finland — Inquisition by Finlanders — Reach Brahestad — Opulence of Inhabitants — The Church — Forbidden Fruit — Calm sailing on the Gulf of Bothnia — Fire on board — Gamle Karleby — Economy of Living — A Feast — Decayed old Town — The last of the Mosquitoes— Sail along the Coast of Ostrobothnia — Pleasant Finnish Company — Another Fire on Board — An UleSborg Acquaintance — The Finlanders' Language — Russian Administration and Prosperity of the Country — Wasa — Imposing Buildings — Evidences of Intemperance — A Finnish Grammar — Eager Inquisitiveness of the Finlanders — Life in UleSborg — The Oulu and its Rapids — Shipwrecked Mariners — An evening Resort — Out in the open Gulf — Pass through the Aland Islands — An ugly Fleet — Stockholm —The Royal Library — The Codex Argenteus — Leave for Upsala .

CHAPTER IX.

Upsala and Old Upsala — Mounds of Odin, Thor, and Freya — Their Contents — Stockholm again — Magnificent Museum — Belies of Charles XII. and Gustavus Adolphus — Admirable prehistoric Collection, and Work in precious Metals — Sail for the Island of Gotland — The Malar Lake and Sodertelje Canal — Wisby — Interesting Bemains of the Middle Ages — Disestablishment — Imposing Demonstration — Bough Passage to Stockholm — Morning Service — Depart for Copenhagen — The Museum of Northern Antiquities — Discouragement and a Friend in Need — Prehistoric, Bunic, Mediæval, Ecclesiastical, and Icelandic Collections — Travel to Kiel — Eailway to Hamburg — Benewal of a pleasant Acquaintance— Embark upon the North Sea — Bough Voyage — The Professor — Land at Grimsby CONTENTS.

CHAPTER X. PAGE

Preparations for our Second Journey — Terra Aquilonis — An unknown Land — Friendly Assistance — More elaborate Provision for Travel — Our Tent and Union Jack — Plan finally adopted — Leave for Granton, N.B. ....... 1 44

CHAPTER XI.

Set sail for the Northern Seas — The Danish Steamer Norden — Our distinguished Position on Board — Dreary and stormy Voyage — Wind and Cold— Cross the North Polar Circle — Sunday on the Arctic— The Midnight Sun — The longest Day in the Year — Whales — Ice and Snow — We sight the Lofodens — Pass Tromsb* and Hammerfest — Round the North Cape — The Coast of Finnemarken — Regions of the North Wind — The Lapland Coast — Snows of Russian Lapland — Round Cape Sviatoi Nos and enter the White Sea — Cape Orloff — We enter the Dvina — Mosquitoes already — Glorious Sunset — AA'e anchor off Archangel — Solombola — The Streets of Archangel — Kind Reception by the English Consul — Cathedral of Peter the Great — Solovetsk Monastery — The Museum — Pre-diluvian Remains and Samoyede Objects 149

CHAPTER XII.

Leave Archangel for the North-east — Skirt the Dvina River — Forests and Rivers of Archangel Province —Ancient Town of Holmogory — Come upon the River Pinega — Imposing Scenery and delicate A'egetation — North Russian A'illages — Desolating News and an Alternative — A Knave — AVe reach Pinega — Negotiations for Journey to Mezen — Resort to the Protection of Russian Justice — Disillusion — A rough Scene — Finessing — The Spitzbooben — Sickness at Heart — An Exile and a Gentleman — The Ispravnik — Discouragement and Reanimation — Auri Sacra Fames — Complaint to the Times — Adieu to Pinega, and thank Goodness CONTENTS. XIII PAGE

CHAPTER XIII.

Embark upon the Kuloi River— Comforts 'and Relief — Lovely Scenery — Delights of Idleness — Reflections upon the Mosqitoes — Sport and Photography upon the Kuloi River — A luxurious Bathe — Kargopol — Fruitless Attempt upon a household God- Magnificent Daylight — Dolga Schelje — Good News — The Estuary of the Kuloi — An Arctic Storm — Steam to the Mezen River — Nicholas John Rusanoff— A City of the Future — Hospitable Reception — Transformations upon the Mezen River — Timber Port of Rusanova — Sail up the River to Mezen — Formidable Tides — The last Town in the World — Siberia in Europe — Exiled Poles — A genial Magistrate — A Disaster — AATe spend the Day and Evening with Exiles — A Blot upon Civilisation — The Inquisition in Poland— Siberia 183

CHAPTER XIV.

Okladnikova — Visited by Samoyedes — Their Habits and Employment — A Samoyede Song — Heathenism and Sorcerers — Honesty and Dignity of the Samoyedes — Matthias Alexander Castren — Physical Characteristics of the Samoyedes — Their Wanderings and Origin — Trace of the Glacial Period — A Lesson in Samoyede — Difficulty of mutual Comprehension — Samoyede Vocabulary and Christian Names — Mongol Characteristics— Leave Mezen — Leisure Hours at Busanova — A Christening : and Memorials in Contemplation — The Land we are about to visit . . . 205

CHAPTER XV.

Completion of our Preparations — Sail for Kanin — Mgl&u — Visit to a Russian Peasant's Household — Reindeer Herd — At Sea again — The Calm that precedes a Storm — Heavy Weather and a shallow Sea — The Cape of Kanushin — Hopeless Attempt to round it — We run for Korga — The Abomination of Desolation — Our Wigwam — Absence of Game — Narrow Escape of the Doctor — Evacuation of Korga — We approach Kanushin again — Hopeless Struggles with the Elements — Driven back in Despair — Kanu- CONTENTS. PAGE shin Cliffs — A deserted Village — A Surprise — A wealthy Shrine — Lonely Mass — Dreariness — Merciful Change of the Wind — Insubordination of the Boatmen — Superior Unreasonableness of Ourselves — We double Cape Kanushin and sail Northward Ho — The low Coast Line — Kiya — The Land of the Samoyedes at last — Their Appearance, Features, and Expression — Further Enquiries and Plans — A Samoyede Gentleman — A vain Experi ment — Reach the Miesna River — A Quicksand — Samoyede Visitors 22.5

CHAPTER XVI.

Negotiations for Journey to the Interior — Eeindeer Sledges — A Purchase and characteristic Incident — We start for the Tundras — Our sledging Procession — Description of Sledges, &c. — Articles of Samoyede Dress — Ladies' Attire — Miesna — Beautiful Wigwam Cleanliness and Courtesy of the Samoyedes — Tent Life — Adroit Hunters — We photograph and mystify a Group of Samoyedes — A Samoyede Deity and Place of Worship — Idolatry — Kanin Nos as a Befuge — Wolf Traps — Samoyede Dogs — Sledging over the Tundras — Unaccustomed Mode of Travel — The Tundras — Swamps and Wilderness — Surprising Qualities of Beindeer and Sledges — Difficult Conditions of Travel and keen Enjoyment — Beflections on the Beindeer — The only Land for Summer Sledging — Travelling Eastward to Koroleva — Village of Tjouma — The Smallest Church in the World— A Samoyede Grave — The Self-eaters — Beflections upon Self-eating and Sentimental Prejudices against it , 248

CHAPTER XVII.

Repose in a Samoyede Village — Magnificent Weather — An Accident — Passage of the Koroleva River — Koroleva and the Heart of the Kanin Peninsula — Important Village — Preparations for Departure of Inhabitants — Chilling Reception — Samoyede Apprehensions — Abortive Photographs — The Korolevans — Stray Mongols and relative Characteristics of the Samoyedes, Ostjaks. and other Siberian Races — Justifiable Suspiciousness — Emigration of CONTENTS. XV PAGIi the Tribe — Impressive Sight — An Extensive Reindeer Proprietor — A vanished Village — We continue our Journey — Cautious ford ing of the Koroleva River — Bewildering Course — Sledge-driving — Baby Reindeer — Lassoing Reindeer — Encounters on the March — Cross the Schoina River and establish ourselves in the Village — Prevailing Cleanliness and friendly Courtesy of the Samoyedes — Varieties of Dialect — The Samoyede Nobleman and the Russian Boor — Well-bred Hosts: — The Strangers from afar — Superstitions of the Samoyedes — A Lesson in Dignity — Perilous Voyage in a Samoyede Canoe —Reach the family Boat — Visit to a Samoyede ATillage — Habits and Welcome — Stores replenished — Southward bound — Kanushin in a Calm — Swarms of AVhales — The wide and lonely Sea— The Midnight Sun 270

CHAPTER XVIII.

Korga Beefs — The Journey from Tchisha to the Gulf of Tcheskoi — Samoj-edes at Tchornaya — Sunday upon a calm Sea — Dissatisfaction and a Quarrel — Beach the Northern Limit of Trees again — TheNjess Biver — Mglau — Beindeer and Siberian Salmon — Difficulty of Navigation onK&nin Coast — Joyful Beturn to the Mezen Biver and Busanova — Hearty Beception — Plan for reaching Archangel — An additional Member to our Family — A Eussian Wolf — Journey to Sjomscha — Negotiations and Disappointments — The Samoyedes again — Mosquitoes — Purchases — Abandon the Sjomschan Boatmen in Despair — The North Eussian Peasantry : their Eapacity and Suspiciousness — Our last Evening at Busanova — Set sail for the Kuloi Biver — Incident in Natural History —The last of Kanin . 289

CHAPTER XIX.

Dolga Schelje — Fortunate renewal of an Acquaintance — Parting Salute — Bivouac by the Shore — Excessive Suffering from Mosquitoes — Snow and Ice — Unaccountable Tides — A fair Passenger — Koida — Gallant Resistance to Female Wilfulness — Cross and re-cross the Polar Circle — Morjbvets Island — An Arctic Scene — Dead Calm and Gale — Cape Voronoff — Swift CONTENTS. PAGB 330 Voyage — Our AA'olf — Overtaken by a AVhite Sea Mist — Disaster to the cooking Apparatus — Put out to salute a Steamer homeward bound — A Bathe in the White Sea — Sight Mdhdiuga Lighthouse — The British Flag — A friendly Scotchman — Towed by a Ship — Enter the Dvina again 305

CHAPTER XX.

Choice of Steamers — A Disappointment — The Solovetsk Islands — Quartered in the Club — Ivan the Terrible — Photograph the Samoyede A'illage — Our Consul — The Merchants of Archangel — Sunday — Morning Service in the Cathedral — Unsatisfactory Condition of the Lower Classes — An Old-Russian Festival and Costumes — Reverend Sufferers — The Khiva Expedition — Are articled to the Steamship Coumoundouros — Costliness of Furs — Good-bye to Archangel 316

CHAPTER XXI.

Run aground in the Dvina — Insect Persecution— Le Distrait — Afloat — Run ashore in the AAThite Sea — The Solovetsk Steamer and Monastery — We struggle off the Bank and sail for England — The Lapland Coast — A comprehensive Name — A destructive Shot — Cry of Wolf — Slow Progress — AVhales and the solemn North Cape — Grand Coast Scenery — Dead Calm off the Lofodens — The last of the Midnight Sun — A Rainbow — Shark ahoy — Cross the Arctic Circle — Heavy Weather and the deep Sea- The Steamer labouring heavily — Bad Nights and Anxiety — No abatement in Storm — Despondency — One Mile per Hour — Sight the Shetlands at last — The Coast of Scotland — Aberdeen — A strange Arrival .

CHAPTER XXII.

A pleasant Letter — Impression left at Mezen — The End of Pimi — Effects of our Gale in the White Sea — Foreign Policy of Russia — Development of her Influence — Evidences — The Amnesty of 1874 to Poles — Reflections on our Journey — Farewell to Everybody 3i3 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Sledging over the Tundeas to Kaboleon (p. 261) . Frontispiece Samoyede Costume Title-page Feery om the Dwina Rivee to face p. 167 Samoyede A'ili.age „ 252 Map of Author's Route at the end Errata. Page 24, line 5 from bottom, for I went read we went „ 43, ,, 9, for means read meant „ 127, ,, 6 from bottom, for quay on read quay in „ 150, last line, for we did read we do „ 161, line 8, for hung read hang „ 291, „ 9, for I accuse them read I accused them THE LAND OF THE NORTH WIND.

CHAPTER I.

The North Wind doth blow— The Doctor— Decline of Originality — Our Scheme of Travel — Preparations for Journey to Lapland, and Means of Transport. The North Wind doth blow, And we shall have snow. These were among the first sounds that fell upon my infant ear, and I used to be deeply concerned to hear from my nurse what steps the robin would take to keep himself warm. There was a charm in the Avords that they have not yet lost, and the experiences of other journeys into the distant North made the pro spect of travelling to the home of the North Wind a very attractive one. I had the good fortune to asso ciate with me in the wish a gentleman of energy, endurance, and unexceptionable appetite : in Mr. Henry Pilkington Brandreth I found a hardy and patient companion, and one who is now very widely is THE LAND OF THE NORTH WIND.

CHAP. I. known north of the Arctic Circle by the honorary title of Doctor. We have heard of a distinguished soldier whose friends make it a boast that he is silent in seven lan guages. What would they say of the Doctor, of whom as a friend I can boast that he is silent in about seventeen out of eighteen European languages, and who stdl travels unpretendingly into the remoter parts of Europe. We live in difficult times, and young men of initiative are put to their wits' ends for novelties. Dr. Livingstone has been found, the American flag has been carried into the heart of Africa, and from one end of England to another : the gipsy has been married : amateur coachmen and paupers, aristocratic re publicans and organ-grinders, are getting played out : we see hysterical efforts to assert the intellectual equality of the gentler sex : we see eminent essayists in their thirst for originality descending to the pro fane : we see others striving to Germanise our finer Saxon tongue, and to coin and fashion new words which have the ring of false originaUty : in fact, in spite of the efforts of poor weak humanity, we have to recognise that eccentricity is hard to achieve, and notoriety is getting to be next to impossible.

Happy are those who are born eccentric, for this rare quahty now-a-days ranks with talent, and is considered preferable to greatness. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. CHAP. I. 3 The Doctor and I, like many deep thinkers, are aware that our own peculiar weakness, travel, like everything else, is beginning to grow commonplace ; but Ave feel with Marivaux, the French dramatist — who, on his admission to the Academy, made the following sensible remarks — that it is idle to make professions of self-disparagement, the sincerity of which is always suspected, and which occasion to those who do make them in good faith, only the affront of being dis believed. As we cannot therefore conscientiously depreciate the merit, particularly of our second journey, we will beg the forgiving reader to believe that if the following relation fails in interest it is not OAving to the fault of the journeys themselves.

If our photographs, taken during the second year's journey, had been Avorthy of reproduction, they would have been a redeeming and enlightening feature in the book. To tell the truth, 1 was rather satisfied with the results — more particu larly seeing that we had risked the loss of our reason through mosquito persecution, in taking them — but after submitting them to the clear light of Mr. Mur ray's judgment, I saw that they were not perfect enough for publication. Our first scheme was to travel up the Gulf of Bothnia to Haparanda, thence to ascend the Tornea or Kemi river, and descend the Ivalojoki to Enara B THE LAND OF THE NORTH WIND. CHAP. I. Traesk, the Lake of a Thousand Islands— but as the journey up-stream would he so slow and toilsome in the midsummer heat, and aggravated by mosquitoes, as we were fond, too, of the magnificent scenery of the Norway coast, we eventually decided upon going by steamer as far as Altenfiord on the Arctic coast, and then travelUng through the Norwegian, Swedish, and Russian Laplands to the head of the Gulf of Bothnia.

Our modes of conveyance would thus be evenly divided between steamers, horses, and boats — all of which were agreeable to us. Of our preparations for Lapland there is not much to be said. Whatever we did take is probably referred to in some part or other of my journal. Our baggage was restricted, owing to the difficulty of transport on horseback, the providing of each additional horse in that empty land involving perhaps many hours' delay. We were to traA'el on, too, without returning, and could make no convenient provision, or at all events did not take the trouble to, for anything to await us anywhere. We chose, in addition to our portmanteaus, stout hampers, as the best means of carrying our food and necessaries ; and as we rarely moA'ed at anything beyond a walking pace, particularly through the close and tangled woods, there was not the same necessity for strong heavy boxes as in Iceland, for example, where CHAP. I. DEPARTURE FOR LAPLAND. 5 the swamps and rivers are deep, and where the horses have an inexcusable passion for rolling.

We chose the beginning of July as the most favourable time for our start, as the swamps would have got rid of the melted snows, the tracks over the hills would be practicable, and the days would be at their longest. The mosquitoes we felt there was no avoiding, and we made up our minds to endure to the bitter end. From all we have since gathered, we believe we hit upon the most suitable season in the year. I ought not to close these few preliminary words without expressing my indebtedness to Mr. Murray for his patience and courtesy, and for affording me the opportunity of publishing the record of our travels under such extenuating circumstances as the shelter of his powerful name. We travelled to Hull on one of the rainiest days we happen to recollect, and arrived there late on the night of July 2, 1873. fi THE LAND OF THE NORTH WIND. CHAP. 6

Chapter II

Embark for Norway— Our Fellow-passengers— Touch at Molde and Christiansund— Arrival at Throndhjem— Reminder of byegone Days — Supplementary Preparations — Cathedral of St. Olaf— Set sail in Steamer Hakon Jarl for the North — Crowded Vessel and deplorable Accommodation — The Libby Prison, late the Tank — An old Friend — Arrive at Bodo — The branch Steamer for the Lofoden Islands — Orpheus — The Lofodens — Meeting with King Oscar— Reach Tromso — Expedition to an Encampment of Laplanders — Good-bye to Tromso — Leave the Hakon Jarl at Oxfiord. July 3rd. — It rained most heavily when we went on board of the Tasso in the Hull docks, and we found the saloon full of wet and waterproofed passengers. We had no curiosity to know when we sailed, but went straight to sleep, and awoke this morning to find the steamer making slow and cautious progress through a dense fog.

It seemed, from the muddy colour of the water, that we were not very far out of the Humber. The first passenger that we stumbled across was our excellent friend and Icelandic companion, Col. Mog gridge, R.E. We sit together at table — the Doctor, owing to his delayed appearance, having had to secure a seat somewhere round a mast, or over a stove. The afternoon \*as fine, and brought everybody OUR COMPANY ON THE TASSO. 7 CHAP. II. up on deck. Among the passengers is a gentleman who, it transpired in the course of conversation, is going to Tromso with a party of ladies and a little boy, and who has secured berths on the mail steamer going north : and, as he has engaged more than he requires himself, we think it possible we may come in for the remainder. So we learn funny stories from books and relate them to him as original.

These make him laugh, and we think he promises well. It also appears that the Tasso is to stop for a few minutes at Molde, to disembark three pleasant men who are going south to fish, and one of them has already overtured to telegraph from Molde to Throndhjem for berths for us, that we may anticipate those travellers going northwards who purpose securing places on our arrival. We have perhaps forty passengers in all — that is effective passengers — for some few are still in their berths. Among the most notable ofi them is the gen tleman going north, who shares our state-room, and who objects to our opening the sidelight for fear his boy, who sleeps in front of it, might take a cold in his doze, or get wet when the decks are washed in the morning. Having no little boys of our own, we cannot appreciate this self-indulgence, and think meanly of our fellow passenger.

If we had not designs upon his berths in the Norwegian steamer, we should pick a quarrel with him. Then there is Mr. Bailward, of Ball. Coll., Oxford, a merry pleasant companion, and an individual whom we know as the Hardy Norseman, with a great light beard, a great red nose, a great appetite, and a vast Scotch cap which gives him lateraUy the appearance of an old fashioned battle-axe. Then there is a gentleman whom we know as the Knave of Diamonds, and there is the Duke of Roxburghe, an unassuming good-looking old nobleman with a strong Scotch accent, going with his son to fish in the Alten River. Next comes Captain Chaplin, also going to fish : and Mr. Dom ville, travelling Avith three ladies, his wife, daughter, and Miss Hill — a pleasant party. It is very fairly cold, and we all wrap up well and eat largely.

The night becomes A'ery chill, and, judging by the sounds of the steam whistle we hear from our berths, foggy : so our rest is broken. At breakfast, lunch, and tea, we make such raA'ages among the sardines and marmalade that the head steward declares they cannot hold out for twenty-four heurs more. All day Ave sail pleasantly along, and pass the time quietly enough in lounging, reading, and talking. We remain later than ever on deck to-night, beguiled by the beauty of the evening. Sunday, 6th. — The land is in sight now, and in the afternoon we put into Molde, where we lose three pleasant companions, and where we detect and defeat a scheme of the Knave of Diamonds to supplant us by AA'E LAND IN NORWAY. 9 CHAP. _____ sending a telegram to Throndhjem too. The evening was delicious, and towards ten o'clock we passed in be tween rocks to the curious little port of Christiansund.

The little boys, some of them, understand Spanish here, as a number of ships of that country come for dried fish. At eight o'clock on the fourth morning we cast anchor in the roads of Throndhjem, and, dropping agilely into a boat, while the other passengers were at breakfast, we went on shore to secure our berths on the Hammerfest steamer, the Hakon Jarl. Our telegram had not arrived, and we were glad to have been prompt, for our landlord of the Victoria Hotel, half-an-hour later, failed to get a single berth for a large party of Scotch people. On the Hakon Jarl I noticed a steward look hard at me. You don't remember me, he said. I said modestly that I did not. He said, Do you remember going to Vadso, and fishing with the second officer at Hammerfest ? It transpired that he had been steward on board the steamer at the time, and he had probably a floating recollection of my appetite, or of the lesson the cook gave me in making Norwegian pancakes, or of the whale steaks I was to have had at Vadso, and how they fell through because whale does not bear keeping so long as woodcock, or of some gratuity or other.