The Press. — London, England, 1857-07-25 00:00:00

nowned regiment, which is certainly one of the most deservedly famous in the whole service. We have given an early notice of this va luable volume (which reached us only this week), and we may, perhaps, return to it on a future occasion. Unprotected Females in Norway : or, the Pleasantest Way of Travelling There, passing through Denmark and Sweden. With Scan- dinavian Sketches from Nature. London : Routledge. DOES any one ever read a modern volume of travels ? We doubt it, always excepting the critics whose elaborate opinions upon the several works which come under their bands can he educed by nothing less than honest straightforward reading, page by page ; but the reading public. unless such a book as " Fothen," or a Whig lord's milk-and-water " Diary," makes its appearance, we are con vinced, seldom take up a volume of continental travels ; and we think the public instinct in this instance is right. The books are in general so bad, the subjects so stale, the locality so well known, that the difficulty of saying anything fresh and original is insu perable. As well might the attempt be made to be original and entertaining upon a martello tower which every one goes round and round so often as he or she visits the Sussex coast. Indeed, we feel more surprised that certain folks should write such books than that certain other folks should decline to read them. But, now and then, if we don't get a very profound and original work, we dis cover a tolerably lively and entertaining one. Let us take, for instance, the " Unprotected Females in Norway." Autumn is coming; Parliament's days, Lord Palmerston has told us, are " numbered ;" and before many weeks London may be once more out of town. It will not be a bad trip to follow the two unpro tecteds, and plunge into Norway and Scandi navia, and for the sake of its glorious scenery to consent to live upon porridge, sleep upon hay, and wash out and iron our own linen for a month or two : We two ladies, having gone before, show how practicable the journey must be, though we have found out and will maintoin that ladies alone get on in travelling mach better than with gentlemen: they set about things in a quieter manner, and always have their own way ; while men are sure to go into passions and make rows, if things are not right immediately. Should ladies have no escort with them, then every one is so civil, and trying of what use they can be; while, when there is a gentleman of the party, no one thinks of interfering, but all take it for granted they are well provided for. The only use of a gentleman in travelling is to look after the luggage, and we take care to have no luggage. " The Unprotected " should never go beyond one portable carpet bag. This, if properly managed, will contain a complete change of everything ; and what is the use of more in a country where dress and finery would be in the worst taste? Two waterproof bags, with straps, and no key (a thing always missing), straw hats which will not blow up, thin mosquito veils, solid plaid shirts with light polkas, woollen stockings, and hobnail shoes, are the proper Nor wegian accoutrements, with a light hooded waterproof cloak to go over all, much the same as would be taken for a Highland tour, with the addition of two other things—a driving wli!p and fishing rod ; the former is generally represented oy a switch at the Norwegian posting houses, and it is the gr-2atest resource in the world to have the latter to throw into the nearest stream, without fear of a loud " llolloa !" if kept waiting for, or in want of, a meal. Front London to Calais, Malines, Ghent, and Hamburg, and through Holstein to Kiel, you cross to Copenhagen, and after being jolted Out of life and liver over its rough stones, and your head cracked with the springing of the dustmen's rattles on a hot summer's day, you find yourself on board the steamer bound up the Sound to Gottenburg. How the two un protecteds bore the voyage, how they felt qualmish and lay upon deck, talked to by a well bred Englishman, who told them when anything interesting came in sight, and they " popped up their heads just to look ;" how they landed at the different stations, and talked to and sketched the peasantry ; and how, on reaching their destination, Elstad, they found at the end of the pier " a pretty little " light carriage, with red body arid green '' wheels," into which they packed themselves and their bags, and started off upon the tour, the book itself will tell better than we can. They got on, however, " splendidly;" the pony " ran up-hill and down hill," and carried them THE PRESS, JULY 25, 1857. safely to Toftemoen, where a capital supper was caught and cooked as follows : A landlord (great rarity) was visible; and, seeing me cast longing looks upon a flock of geese running about on the green, said gallantly, " You may have one if you can catch it," which process was great fun, and good exercise for the feet, as driving had been for the arms all day. I decidedly approve of people catching their own goose before eating it; but how much more difficult a real than a human goose is to catch ! The fat farmer stood laughing at the chase, and, pronouncing the caught animal the finest of the flock, was entrapped into offering to pluck it. - - To enter into the spirit of Norwegian life is about the " only thing" required to enjoy it thoroughly, says the unprotected. When you enter a farmhouse you must help yourself to everything you want, humour the people, and do not overpay them. Snobs, we are sorry to say, of British manufacture, occasionally appear on the scene, and spoil all one's fun. Speaking of some very pleasant days they spent at Trondhjem, the unprotected intro duce us to such a distinguished " party " : Those were happy hours, and it was fortunate we had come in time for them ; a few days later a party of English Irrived, who quite annihilated these merry meetings. They were fine people, who had come to Norway for salmon• fishing, and for nothing else, and had been staying with some friends who had their own stand, on their own river, up in the north. The principal person was rather a fast lady, who could drive 120 miles at once, all day and all night. She was attended by several sportsmen, who were not inclined to be civil to other travellers; and we had the pleasure of seeing the principal London newspapers arrive, be read, and pocketed, without the chance of a peep at one in that far•distant region. The singing circle was broken up, and the peasants seated round the walls of the room instead, while the exclusive party's table was drawn before the fire; and one evening there was a most amusing row, occasioned by Madame Jerkin, after they had been about an hour at tea, slily slipping the pot off the table, and with a wink giving two Norwegian ladies, who had arrived cold and late, a top out of it; which being discovered, ferocious cries of " Where's the teapot?" echoed through the hall ; and the interpreter, or lulk (as they disdained personal communication with the people), was summoned to give a good lecture to the offender. The peasants took all this in perfect quiet, but when they left charged them just double what they did us and other travellers ; and this is an example of how every country which the British fre• quent gradually changes both its character and its prices. 'folks, or interpreters, a mild sort of courier, were never heard of some years ago, and are most ab'urd appendages in a country were travellers must either sit in the kitchen or in their own bedrooms. Of course in a tour through such a primitive country Indies cannot expect much comfort. Our unprotectcds appear to have bravely put up with every inconvenience. Here they are at the Sogne-fjeld The tapping of a cow's horn against the bedside awoke us to see that grey dawn had commenced : we would fain have believed it still nought but lowering moonlight, wh Hilda, springing up, .at once pronounced it three o'clock, and cheerfully set about her ablutions in a pail,lea.ving her two companions asleep out of the way ; then the binding up of her head in the snowy handkerchief, with the assumption of one of the connterpane petticoats, quickly completing her toilet, she blew up the unextinguished embers, and set on the cauldron. So much briskness made us emulous ; and the pail being now at our service, up we sprang, to alight barefooted in the puddles of the mud floor: try again—so get back into bed, to get out ready-shod with hobnails, plunge horselike into the depths of the pail, and despising details and a few lacing holes, the six pairs of eyes being all attention. were soon clad in double quick time. Haste was indeed neeessary ; for Ole, Elias, end all the tribe, intent upon breakfast, had imagined that they had only to walk in to get it at once, regardless of our pre judices of merely rising before female eyes ; and the door beir.g of course without fastening, it took all the available churns piled up to keep them out. 'f he pressure was at last so great that down rolled the churns, and fortunately on went our last garment. On another occasion they sleep in a loft : Next morning. without the trouble of rising, we could see guides, ponies, and all ready, as if they bad been standing there the whole night. By-the-bye, when do Norwegians get up ? However early one wakes they always have the start, and seem to reonire rest Its little as food. Now began the difficulties of toilet in good earnest ; each garment had to he handed up the ladder separately, and it was most absurd to see two hardy mountaineers climbing in turns with the greatest gravity on such an errand, touching the linen as we should the finest Brussels lace. Chen, as for ablutions, where was the de quoi ? At the mention of a towel, the Kone pointed to the sheet, which idea I suppose she had caught from the Crown Prince ; hut meeting with great difficulty in the basin-and• jug department, I did what all travellers should in Norway, particularly after fatigue, adjourn to the fountain, " Un. dinc•ize " in the clear stream, and return fresh and almost strong enough for another fjeld. The peasants appear to be extremely hos pitable and unselfish ; but of course English travellers are rapidly spoiling them. The Norse men and women tut very shy. Nothing could induce them to stand and be sketched ; but they took every opportunity to study the English ladies. One morning at Heft our unprotected wakes up drowsily, and " a dim vision of fUr " caps, silver buttons, white legs," rose before her, mingled with subdued whispers, and the words " English, fairy, no ! take care, " hush !" "At length a hand was stretched " forth to touch a lock of my streaming hair— " the spell was broken—and opening my eyes " wide, I saw a crowd creep stealthily away, " looking at me till the last moment, when " they closed the door softly as on a sleeping " babe, and all was still." But if the men are shy, the women are both shy and pugna cious. " Trying it on " in Norway is apt to get an adventurous Englishman into a scrape : The tourists were quite delighted at having a female Skyd, and one persuaded her to exchange places, when she got down to walk up a hill, and to sit b ehind his carriole ; at the same time, in the most polite manner, yielding precedence to all the others. Presently, on nearing the next station, what was the surprise at the polite man having dis appeared with his carriole, and giving no signs of coming! All waited and waited, nobody liking to go back and look for him; when, after a most trying delay, the truant was seen in the distance approaching slowly, his hat very much over his eyes, and—is it possible ? yes ! —the waistless damsel standing high up behind with a long pole iu a Damocles position over his head. " What has kept you? do tell us," was the chorus, accompanied by a grin from each; but as the respondent was still Jeep in hat and mystery, and the pole threatened to wave over the heads of us all, we appellants thought it prudent to drive on to the next station, where, by tearing and quizzing, the following particulars were elicited. I transcribe them for the benefit of future fast ones. The damsel was rather pretty, and the lane rather shady ; so her companion thought he would " try it on " by giving her a kiss, which must have been a tolerably smart one, for it sent her off as far as the hedge, where she took nut one of the long and heavy poles used in Norwegian fences, and returned the compliment by battering him well about the head and shoulders, then remounting, continued in the defensive attitude, which formed such a very pleasing tableau far spectators. Plenty of adventures await the traveller in Norway. Here is a forest one told with spirit : A victim had arrived at the farm with his horses, but only one lady's saddle, of course secured for nay mother. We bad entered the third phase of the journe3—the forest. Hurrah for the three glories of Norwegian travel The fjord ! the fjeld ! the forest ! Wild Graces of Scan dinavia—vast, rugged, grand, as befits a stern northern queen of beauty. The ponies long to gallop beneath the shade—one spring—they start. Now the non talk aboutables proved their usefulness : begging all nay clothes in their ample folds, I at once mounted a /a Zoarare, and can assure every one for a long journey this attitude has double comforts; while mamma sat twisted sideways on a saddle which would not keep its balance, I was easy and independent, with a foot in each stirrup; besides the scarlet having the most beautiful effect through the green trees. We got on magnificently till our guide suddenly pulled up at a farm in an opening of the forest, and proposed our dismounting; what was it for? Oh, he did not know the way any further. " but you should have said so before—you cannot deposit us here:" and we put in such a strong light the impossibility of remaining in the midst of a lone wood, and making a future home of the secluded farm, that, after deep con sultations with the proprietors on whose hands he wished to leave us, it was concluded he should try another farm across the wood, where two horses were kept by a very sharp fellow who knew everything. So resignedly pene trating deeper into the piny arches, a rising piece of ground showed at length the welcome sight of two horses ploughing with a jaunty boy, who instantly entered into the exchange plan with alacrity, as if it were the most capital fun. • • • • • Duskiness soon came on; the twilight feebly pene• trating the thick woods, and the hearty laughs of our guile were the only cheering sounds. He was in the highest spirits; my costume and attitude excited his warmest ad miration. He was under the impression they were the last English fashion; and that great nation, which he knew swayed the world from somewhere, seemed to rite in his imagination in still more mysterious grandeur, and a stray cigar nr two given him completed the illusion. What would one think of two French ladies, or two of any other nation, penetrating into the wildest recesses of Norway, and finding out new roads for the natives ? Who but English could do it? Madame Ida Pfeiffer has been rather active, but she confesses to being skinny and wiry, and was able to wriggle about unmolested ; the English or Americana are rarely of that make, and so generally blooming and attractive, that it must be a certain inborn right of con quest which makes them nearly always the first to pene trate into the arenna of countries triumphantly. At length no light, even grey, was left. Dismounting for a variety, we found it impossible to walk, as the forest was full of small pools of water, into which we went splashing every moment, and had to remount, and continue for two hours in utter darkness, save when a friendly spark flew from the cigar. There had been no path the whole time, the horses going confidently on through the thickest giades, and the lively man making little excursions on each stile to reconnoitre, though be could see nothing, his cheerfal hellos and our response uniting us again ; but as the forest became thicker and thicker, it was with great difficulty nc kept our heads on out shoulders, the branches of the finesse continually trying to catch theta. 011