Two summers in Norway

Chapter I

Introductory — Reasons for writing — Interest of a Tour in Norway — Little attention paid by former Writers to the Picturesque — No account of the Angling — Norway pre-eminent in both — Ancient connexion with England — Different Routes : by Yacht ; by Sailing Packets ; a Merchantman ; Steam Vessels to St. Petersburg ; from Hull to Gothenborg ; from London to Hamburg ; and thence by Copenhagen to Christiania ; Severally described — Copenhagen ; Situation ; History ; Sights ; Museums ; Thorwaldsen's Statues— Helsingor — Hamlet — The Sound — Steam Vessels in the Baltic — Gothenborg — Beauty of Voyage to Christiania — Situation of City — Land Journey to Christiania — Falls of Trollhsettan — Gotha Canal — Kinnekulle, &c. — Uddevalla — Fredericshald — Sarpen Foss — Jonserud.

Of late years several brief accounts have been published of Tours in Scandinavia: but sin-

VOL. I. B f gular to say, none that I have seen or heard of, give anything but the most meagre information regarding the piscatorial capabilities, or geological, or picturesque features of a country, which yet in all those respects is usually believed (and with justice) to be one of the most interesting within reach of the Tourist and Angler.

By far the best of these accounts is that of Mr. Laing, who has given most valuable information on the higher subjects of political, moral, and social statistics ; which a two years' residence in Norway, and acquaintance with the language, combined with observation and intelligence, enabled him to collect. But Mr. L. is confessedly neither a Geologist, nor an Angler; while his pictorial descriptions of a country, so little known as Norway, scarcely satisfy the reader's curiosity. And even his very clever and valuable statistics must be read with a constant sense of his ultra-radical partialities in favour of Norway, (which appear inordinate in the eyes even of the Norwegians themselves,) and against

Sweden, which, are scarcely less exaggerated; as they have the effect of preventing him from seeing any single fault in the one, or any merit in the other. Most northern travellers will, perhaps, agree with him in his main estimation of the two nations ; but none, I think, can follow him without being convinced of the great exaggeration of his praise, equally as of his blame.

I have ventured to say this much, in order to show that there remains enough of unoccupied ground, to excuse another example of the cacoethes scribendL Without further allusion to other previous accounts, I may add in justification of this attempt to render my countrymen, and especially my brother Anglers, better acquainted with some of the features of Scandinavia, scarcely touched upon by former writers, that, besides having spent two entire summers there very recently, and having made myself sufficiently familiar with the language to converse with the natives, at least, without an interpreter, I have traversed many most romanb 2 tic districts, which, if visited, have not been described by Englishmen ; and, above all, have been fortunate enough to pass the longest time, and have had the greatest success, on what I believe to be the best Salmon river yet known to Anglers, of any votary of the Gentle Art.

I need not detain the reader with any further attempts to explain my motives in thus adding to the overgrown literature of the day : I feel confident that if only my little notice have the effect of inducing any intelligent traveller to visit the " Land of the Fjeld and the Fjord," his own sensations will soon teach him to cease to wonder, that I should have attempted to convey to others, some faint idea of the strange delight and interest, a Scandinavian Tour is calculated to afford.

All is, indeed, so strange to one who has only trodden the hacknied route of Southern Europe : the scenery, the climate, and consequent mode of life, the strongly marked features both of the country and its inhabitants, the institutions, the language, all distinguish the stern North from the sunny South, so much, that a rambler accustomed to the plains of TYanee, or the shores of the Mediterranean, imagines himself transported to another hemisphere. This novelty, this raciness of contrast, cannot but be highly exciting. But what greatly increases the interest of the Tour to an Englishman is, that in most of these points of contrast, he discovers so many links of union with the olden history of his own country.

The Northern men played far too important a part in Britain during the very period of the formation of our national character, not to have stamped indelible traces on its adolescent institutions. The progress of improvement has been much less rapid with them, than with us : so that we find there still existing, in almost their primitive state, habits, and principles, and customs, and laws, which with us have been gradually modified to our altered condition, but without losing many of the features of their original parentage. Many customs and superstitions, now confined to our remoter districts, are still prevalent in Norway; in like manner as many words and expressions, that we usually consider vulgarisms, or provincialisms in language, are evidently Norsk. Again, the wild and grand features of the scenery, the atmospheric phoenomena, the dreary winters, involuntarily remind us of the mythology of Odin, or recall the shadowy pictures our boyhood conjured up, while devouring the pages of Ossian.

Of course a residence in the country, and an intimate acquaintance with the language and institutions, are necessary, fully to appreciate these traits of national resemblance ; but any intelligent traveller cannot help being struck by many points of unexpected coincidence, the number of which will depend upon his knowledge of the language, as well as on his powers of observation. But independent of these, there are more general sources of interest, in the beauty of the scenery, the novelty of the habits, the extreme kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants, the fineness of the climate in summer, that render it impossible, I should think, for any one possessed of a mens sana in corpore sano, not to derive deep gratification from a tour in Norway; even though he be not, as I frankly confess myself to be, a passionate lover of Angling.

The number of devotees to old Izaak's gentle craft has so greatly increased of late years, that the ancient haunts within the British dominions no longer suffice : while the opportunities of a free range, and a quiet "cast," have wofully diminished. The best English rivers have long been appropriated : the Lochs and streams of Scotland are now very commonly "preserved," from being found to constitute a very tempting addition to the grouse shooter, whom many of the Highland lairds have discovered to be a more profitable tenant of the barren magnificence of their muirs, than the sheep farmer. Nay, even in the " far West" of Ireland, proprietors are beginning to scan their rights in the waters, as well as in the soil, more carefully than of yore : and I even hear that since I threw a line in the noble waters of the Erne, a regular Angling Club has been established at Ballyshannon.

Such, therefore, as have the power of taking a longer flight, naturally turn to other lands, where this art, so peculiarly English, is as yet unknown. A few adventurous brothers of the rod have already explored the Scandinavian wilds : that country will very probably, in its turn, soon become overstocked ; and then nothing will remain for the more daring enthusiasts of this fascinating sport, but to follow the tide of civilization westward into the New World, and there pursue their mimic war against the gigantic tenants of the vast Lakes and Eivers of that Continent. Meanwhile, they will not, I imagine, be sorry to learn what verge and scope there is for their prowess, in waters so much nearer our own shores.

But, though I mention these piscatory details as constituting a main feature in the Tour I am about to describe, I would not have it be understood, either that Angling was the only point to which I directed my attention, or that it is the only attraction that Norway presents to th,e Tourist. I trust the following pages will bear sufficient evidence to the contrary of both these suppositions.

Although the Angler's devotion to his favourite pursuit is invariably so strong that it cannot but appear prominently, yet I believe there are none of our craft who do not keenly feel the beauties of Nature, with which it renders them so peculiarly conversant ; and few who do not possess a desire for the general information befitting a gentleman and a Christian ; even if they have not (as is very often the case) a turn for some particular branch of Natural History. While, therefore, I have entered at large into the subjects more immediately interesting to my brother Anglers, I have not omitted to describe, as disb 3 tinctly as I could, the wildly beautiful scenes that Norway contains ; as also the moral and social features of its inhabitants. I have done so, in the hope that these details may find favour in the eyes of my reader, no less than to satisfy the feelings of grateful recollection with which I look back to my Scandinavian Tours, and which I have sought to perpetuate in the following pages.

One of my chief inducements to publish these volumes was the desire of assisting such of my countrymen as may wish to visit Norway, and especially Anglers ; 1 shall therefore commence by pointing out the best modes of reaching it. For this purpose, perhaps a private Yacht will appear to some the most desirable : but besides that not many of my readers can be supposed to possess so costly a mode of conveyance, I think it objectionable, as it must either remain in port during the Tour, an useless source of expense; or if it be employed as a means of transport from point to point, the interest-

IN NORWAY.

ing and improving opportunity of seeing the scenery and inhabitants of the interior is lost.

There are every summer good sailing vessels from London, or Harwich, to Drammen, or Christiania, to Grothenborg, and even to Trondhjem.* There are frequently merchant ships, and occasionally Steamers, from Hull to Gothenborg : and for a short time last year (1839) the Steam Packets to St. Petersburg landed passengers at Christiansand, which enabled the Tourist to reach the southern shores of Norway, on the fourth day from London. Unfortunately the experiment answered so badly, that it was given up before the season was over.

All these opportunities, however, are precarious. The only route that can be depended on for regularity, is that by steam to Hamburg,

* This summer (1840) steam packets have been established between Hull and Gothenborg, touching at Christiansand. They leave Hull every Saturday afternoon ; thus affording the shortest and easiest mode of reaching either Norway or Sweden, to those who do not object to the length of the voyage : and as they convey the letters by contract with Government, there is every prospect of their being continued for some time at least.

and thence to Kiel and Liibeck ; from both which places there are weekly communications by Steam vessels, with the whole of the North. This route is longer and more expensive ; and subjects the traveller to the frequent change of conveyance and of money, as well as to the annoyance of passports and custom-houses. But should he only have sufficient leisure, and an ordinary wish for information, he will most probably consider this delay and annoyance counterbalanced by the opportunity of seeing Hamburg, the Baltic, Copenhagen, Gothenborg, &c. The Angler will find little to interest him on the road, except at Falkenberg : but the geologist will be amply repaid at many points for any days that his time will allow him to devote to his favourite science.

Any Passport whatever will suffice, except for Russia ; quite as much attention being paid to that of the Hanseatic consul, as to Lord Palmerston's costly Firman. Both in Denmark and Sweden all travellers are obliged to take out a " land-pass," or passport of the country, in addition to the foreign one they bring with them : in Norway a passport is rarely asked for after the first landing. Almost any kind of English money can be exchanged for that of the respective countries. I obtained from Messrs. Norman and Sewell a circular letter to all their very respectable correspondents in the North, and took besides both sovereigns, and Hemes and Farquhar's notes : with none of which I had the least difficulty in any of the principal towns ; although the first secured me civilities, which of course I could not expect from the latter.

The best season for starting, for one who has the entire summer at his command, is as early in May as the weather may seem to be well settled ; which will enable the Tourist to see a little of Copenhagen, Trollhsettan, Christiania, &c. before the snows have sufficiently melted, for the interior of Norway to become easy of access.

There are commodious and powerful Steam Packets, from the Tower stairs, every Tuesday and Friday night, to Hamburg. The passage is usually performed in about sixty hours ; the minimum being forty-eight, and the maximum seventy or eighty hours, according to weather. The distance from point to point is called 450 miles ; a great part of it, however, is either in the two rivers, or under the comparative protection of the land, so as to afford tolerably smooth water : in mid-channel there is almost invariably a violent swell from the North or South, (according to the wind,) that causes the vessel to pitch from side to side, in a manner most trying to landsmen's nerves and stomachs.

Hamburg possesses no manufactures, but has a great transit trade. Indeed it may be considered the commercial capital of the Continent ; as it both serves for an emporium where most other countries obtain foreign goods and colonial produce ; and also regulates the rate of continental exchanges. It is a large and handsome city. The more ancient streets contain singularly quaint, lofty buildings, with huge gable ends towards the streets, of a fantastic scroll pattern : while the quarter round the Alster is built in the most approved modern fashion ; and the ramparts afford extensive and most delightful promenades. This is one of the agreeable results of the long continuance of peace, that the defences which had been found worse than useless in war, as drawing on the devoted place the horrors of a siege, have here, as at Frankfort and so many other continental towns, been happily converted to the ornament of the city and the recreation of its inhabitants. No where has this been more successfully effected than at Hamburg.

There is great apparent luxury, life, and bustle in Hamburg; but I am not aware of any public establishment for any thing more intellectual than a good theatre, together with numerous cafes, most abundantly supplied with cigars and newspapers. The hotels, as might be expected, are many and good: amongst them, I had every reason to be satisfied with the

Hotels de Russie, and de St. Petersburg: and I believe there are several at the least equally comfortable.

From Hamburg, or more properly from the adjoining Danish town of Altona,* there is a Diligence direct to Copenhagen : but it is much too tedious, uncomfortable, and expensive, for any one to travel by it, that can possibly avoid it. The Tourist must, therefore, decide on proceeding either to Kiel, or to Liibeck; both cities on the Baltic : from each of which, steamers start for Copenhagen, every week during the summer; on Satarday evenings from the former, on Tuesday evenings from the latter.

The distance from Hamburg to Kiel is somewhat the longest, being rather more than sixty English miles : the road is excellent, though at the same time very uninteresting. There is a dilatory Diligence between the two towns ; so di-

* The free town of Hamburg is only divided by an open space of less than half a mile from Altona, which belongs to Denmark, and stands by so much lower down on the Elbe. Altona is also a large, and actively commercial city, though it cannot in any respect compete with its prosperous neighbour.

latory that I have always preferred either to post, or to hire a Voiturier. The former is rather the more expensive mode, the latter rather the more tedious : in either way the distance may be accomplished in from ten to eleven hours : and as the steamer does not start before seven o' clock, p. m., there is ample time to get on board, by leaving Hamburg early in the morning.

The Extra-post is well managed in Denmark. Each Postmaster is bound to give the traveller a paper, specifying the distance, the expense, and time in which the stage should be performed. The Holstein horses are justly celebrated all over Europe : and at every station very fair carriages may be obtained by such persons as have not their own. The common Hoist einer Wagen consists of an inordinately long body of wicker work, with three or four transverse seats : it is a light, commodious, and inexpensive vehicle; but withal dreadfully jolting on rough roads. The soil in this part of Holstein is generally very poor, consisting of transported gravel and boulders ; beneath which, on approaching Kiel, the chalk is seen appearing. The stranger will be struck with the enormous hostelries, with their lofty gable ends, standing across the road, and covered with an immense expanse of thatched roof. The carriages drive into the centre of these houses, and the horses are there fed with the usual black bread of the country, without being unharnessed.

Kiel has nothing to recommend it beyond the gardens attached to the royal Chateau, and its rather pretty bay : but the voyage from it to Copenhagen is interesting, as it passes close to the islands Alster, Moen, &c. : it is performed in about twenty hours.

The road from Hamburg to Liibeck used to be proverbially the worst in Europe, in consequence of his Danish majesty' s* not permitting the small portion of it that traverses his dominions to be repaired ; with the view of driving all travellers to his own town of Kiel.

* This aged monarch is since dead : it remains yet to be seen what will be the course of his successor.

Lately, however, he has been shamed into allowing its improvement ; though he still pertinaciously refuses his sanction to a Railroad between the two Free Towns ; for which the necessary funds had long been raised, and a Company formed. Of its success little doubt could be entertained, since no two towns could be better situated for a railroad, and the intermediate land is a dead level.

By passing through Oldesloe, which makes the journey one German mile longer, (or about forty English miles in all,) the greater .portion of the worst road may be avoided; and by deviating two German miles more, the Saltmines of Segeberg and Luneberg may be visited, -which are interesting as being the only two spots where native Boracium is found, in minute crystals. The whole of this part of Europe is covered with a thick mantle of what French geologists call " terrains de transport," composed principally of rounded pebbles, with occasional tracts of sand, and interspersed with those remarkable fragments of the older rocks of the North, named by Forchhammer, " Baltic boulders."

The environs of Liibeck are very pleasing : and to an admirer of the architecture of the Middle Ages, the town presents many striking monuments of its ancient grandeur, when it was confessedly the head of the Hanseatic League, the first Naval Power until Holland and England arose to eclipse its supremacy. A day may be agreeably spent in examining the picturesque relics of times, to which modern taste in our country seems fond of recurring for models, both in architecture and furniture: the environs also present many points for a delightful stroll ; and the inns are good.

A small Steam boat conveys passengers down the river to the pretty little port and bathing town of Travemunde, (i. e. " Mouth of the Trave,") where the Copenhagen steamer is ready to transport them in less than twenty hours to the Danish capital. A third communication has also lately been established between Kiel and Copenhagen, by means of a small Steam boat, called the Lowen, to Wordingborg, and thence over land throngh Zeeland, by Diligence : I do not, however, by any means recommend it in preference to either of the others.

Whichever of these routes may have been adopted, no Englishman can approach Copenhagen without a melancholy recollection of events connected with the modern history of that fine city, in which he cannot help regretting that his country had any share. The seizure of the fleet in 1801, is supposed to be justifiable on the principle of self-defence, which holds equally good for nations, as for individuals ; and it has been comparatively forgiven and forgotten by the Danes. But not so the bombardment of 1807; the memory of which still rankles in their breasts, and makes a large proportion of the population, both high and low, to detest the name of England. Can we wonder at it ? the more especially, since the loss of their colonies, the destruction of their commerce, the total extinction of their consequence, if not of their independence, are all associated with that most " untoward event."

Copenhagen may be called on the whole a fine, and well built city. The line of its palace streets is very handsome, though somewhat desolate : that of its shop streets (for they are quite distinct,) is lively, and gay, and amusing. In the former, scarcely a pedestrian is seen : while the latter are constantly filled with busy, bustling passengers : and the doors and shutters being universally adorned with tolerably executed representations of what is sold within, the stranger is amused, as he walks along, with a novel series of curious pictures. The squares are remarkably spacious ; and it has altogether very much the air of a capital : a feature that strikes the traveller more forcibly, on returning from the Norwegian metropolis, which most undeniably has a very bourgeois look in comparison.

Denmark maintains an army, that appears totally out of proportion to the finances and population of this small kingdom : and as a large force is necessarily always present at the residence of the Sovereign, the handsome uniforms and martial bearing of the numerous officers, assist in giving the streets a very animated appearance, somewhat different from the bourgeois guard of the good town of Hamburg, or the few, slovenly, ill-dressed military of economic Norway. The ramparts round Copenhagen afford a pleasant walk, and display on what a low flat the city is built, scarcely above the level of the sea : I cannot think that the situation is healthy. There are several ships of war, of the largest class, conspicuously laid up in ordinary: the commercial docks are desolate and untenanted.

A few days may be spent in this city very profitably and agreeably, even without introductions to the society, which is said to be extremely good. Besides the well known University, and Societies of Science, and Antiquities, there are many public institutions, amply deserving a visit. Of these my favourite was the Geological Museum attached to the University, which I enjoyed the frequent advantage of seeing in company with the distinguished Professor Forchhammer.

It is, as every national Museum should be, very rich in the geological treasures of its own country ; such as the chalk fossils of Faxoe and Stevensldint; and the contents of the " Quaternary" (most recent geological) formation, in which vegetable matter is seen in all stages intermediate between our own peat bogs, and the brown coal of Germany. It contains also an abundant and valuable collection of foreign specimens, both of geology and mineralogy: among which I will only mention the splendid Olenus Tessini, figured by Hisinger in his a Lethsea Svecica."

Next to this, I was most pleased with the Museum of Northern; Antiquities . These chiefly consist of objects that have been dug up within the Danish dominions, and are rendered the more valuable from being instructively arranged, so as to exhibit the gradation from the flint hatchets, knives, chisels, spear and arrow heads, &c, of the earliest inhabitants, through the same instruments made of bronze, and subsequently for a short period of bronze edged with iron ; until at last the discovery of the mode of working and tempering iron completely superseded all other metals.

There are many other interesting objects in this Museum : and in some of the palaces, the' curious in ivory nicnacs may see how much ingenuity may be uselessly displayed, and what vast sums foolishly squandered, in the delicate manipulation of that article.

But as it does not enter into my plan to particularize all the objects of interest that Copenhagen contains, I will only further mention that its present greatest boast and ornament are the works of Thorwaldsen, lately placed in the

vol. i. c

Frauenkirke. They consist of a colossal figure of Christ, standing behind, and rather above, the Altar table ; with those of the twelve Apostles, in heroic size, ranged against the wall, on each side, down the body of the Church. As a whole, I know of no group equal to them in modern Sculpture. The attitude and countenance of our Blessed Saviour are beautifully expressive of the text inscribed beneath : " Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden while the figures of the Apostles display not only general beauty and harmony, but also a variety, and individuality of expression, quite wonderful.

RafFael has shown how worse than absurd it is to venture to represent the Deity. But surely it is more allowable to attempt to embody the human form assumed for our sakes by the Eternal Son : and if any mortal hand has at all- approached success in this attempt, in my opinion, it is Thorwaldsen. He is a Dane, but long resident in Italy, and last year, came from Borne on purpose to superintend the erection of these noble statues in his native city ; where he was, as he deserved, most enthusiastically received by all classes. The Church itself is simple, grand, and well proportioned, forming a worthy shrine for the treasures it contains. Above the portico outside is a beautiful group of St. John preaching in the Wilderness, esteemed by many to be Thorwaldsen's best composition. His famous bassi rilievi of the Triumph of Alexander, so well known to every visiter of Rome, have lately been placed in the Christianburg, a very handsome palace, built by Christian V., but never completely furnished, nor occupied.

In addition to the many public institutions and buildings, with the docks, ramparts, and environs, which may agreeably occupy as many mornings as the Tourist can spare, he will be amused in strolling through the Market by observing the singular costume and manners of the fish women, and market gardeners ; who are the descendants of a Dutch colony c2 planted in a neighbouring island above a century ago, and have preserved their race and dress pure and unchanged. I may add that the figures for which Holland is celebrated, do not seem to have degenerated in proportions among her semi-Danish daughters. It is impossible not to smile at seeing them on a holiday in the dog-days, cumbered with an extraordinary superfluity of petticoats, and coifed and neckerchiefed up to the throat. The colours of their dress are showy ; and they often display costly gold ornaments : the effect therefore is very picturesque.

In a morning, along the quay, besides plenty of the usual sea fish, are generally to be seen several carts, loaded with innumerable eels, bream, perch, pike, &c. from the stagnant waters, with which the neighbourhood of Copenhagen abounds. But the Angler will perhaps be more interested by observing in the neighbouring boats newly caught salmon, from Halmstad in Sweden, hanging up to dry :

and if lie have any of my feelings, this sight will urge him to hasten his departure towards the streams where they may be killed.

There is a weekly Diligence from Copenhagen to Gothenborg; but I believe it to be very tedious ; and that its only advantage is that it passes by Falkenberg, where is the best early Salmon river in Scandinavia, hereafter to be described. A far preferable conveyance is the Steam vessel, which leaves Copenhagen every Friday afternoon for Christiania, and reaches the Norwegian capital on the Sunday evening, stopping a few hours, on the way, at Gothenborg. Unless the traveller is bent upon taking a cast at Falkenberg, the best plan is to drive over on Thursday to Helsingor, (our Elsineur,) at the mouth of the Sound ; a spot not only hallowed by the genius of Shakspeare, but of itself a scene of great interest and beauty : and having previously secured a berth in the Steamer, and arranged for the baggage to be put on board at Copenhagen, to embark at

Helsingor on board the Steam vessel, for which purpose it waits a few minutes off the pier.

The traveller will thus have an opportunity, so peculiarly acceptable to an Englishman, of rambling through the localities connected with one of our great Poet's most imaginative creations. And though he must not expect any very authentic records of the royal Dane, (all the many spots that are dignified with the names of Hamlet and poor Ophelia being comparatively modern designations to gratify the demand of English inquirers,) yet to tread the very spots once trodden by the visionary Prince, and the lovesick Maid, will amply compensate, by its associations, for the loss of a day at Copenhagen. The prospects, moreover, both of sea and land, are extremely beautiful.