Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-10-09
nlisfellanD.
Ascent to Voringsfos.
THE HIGHEST WATERFALL rN THE wURLD.
BERGEN, Norway, Aug. 10Th 1855.

hthops otitr thHiBSj ior uelHg oitudeou h6h i"
the mountains, four thousand or five thousand
feet above the level Of the sea. While it is un-
donbedly the highest, it is also believed to be
the most difficult of access, Of any important
waterfall in The world.
The first Of our ten miles journey was done
on root r. he beriess Of 2'eefly sank lake Il
from whence We we're rowed three miles to the
little village of Seboe Al the waters edge,
70 sleek, saddled ponies were waiting our ar
rival and with guide for each, we were soon
he mountains. We at once saw that a
I'd climb was before is, and in few moments
we're among the rocks, crossing rugged haights
and marrow, crazy bridges over dizzy depths ard
foaminr cttaracls One of these bridges is
nerve ,est .r indeed, ard more than one traveller,
after long journeys has returned without sight of |
the fos, rather til an cross it.
After two hours riding, we reached the foot
of the so called " Steep, and it is rightly nar.-
ed, Before us was a mountain mass of barren |
rocks, rising 1000 feet, apparently perpendlcu-
lar. 1t had uomed up before US for an hour as
we approached, without exciting even the sus-
picon, that we were to climb it, surprising that
some opening would present itself on Que side or
the other, through which we should pass. We
had lust overtaken two Englishmen on foot, and
had any one of us been asked, while standing III
diminished insignGcance of its base, II 1t could
be surmouned on horseback we shou Id have ex-
claimed " impossible" When informed OF the
fact by the guides, our eyes met In as'onlshmen'
while for one, heard it with salid saisfac tion
There was new experience ahead. Many ADVISE
travellers TO leave their horses here, and this
would be highly sensible, were they not so much
needed in the march above.
The little, dapple grey pony w"ch had
chosen, had never been up the mountain, his
owner having bought him the night before -
but his intelligent eye looked as il it would like
to peer over the summit, and giving him the
rein we joyfu ly led the way. On and up<we
went in zigzag course, ing to every point
of the compass in The space of single rod, and
ascending flights of irregular, artificial stairs,
sir hundred of which couuted, and then gave
tup in dispar. Once my dauntless Billy
Grey" leaped upon high rock in the path,
and sticking out mis- muse, snusd thvaee@ snaze4
that came rushing up a yawng chasn, JtiOe hun
dred feet Deep
Such are the natural features of this fearful
Steep" above which we suddenly enlarged up
on broad moorland, intcrspersed with quag-
mires, barren rocks beds and slinied vegetation.
This plain, upon which herds Of cattle and goats
were grazing, extends several miles, and at Its
father extremity is dairymaids village Lott
ier mountai surrounded it, and there was
nought to remind US of the height we had attain
ed. save the remembrance of the terrible Steep
behind. Ii is from the verge of this plain which
rises several hundred feet above the level of the
fall, that we looked down upon Vorngsios We
are now within mile of the fall, but so deeply
sunk is the gorge through which the river rush
es, that the only sign of It's vicinity, was the
eternal cloud of spray which rises from its base
and scars above the plain.
In five hours after leaving the lake below, we
stood upon the brink of the precpce into which
the laundering cataract makes its final plunge OF
nine hundred feet Standing about six hundred
down to its base fifteen hundred feet Jelo,o us
Here again, VIC were spell bound in mute amaze
ment at the wonderful works of creation,
and here would gladly lay down my pen, 70
tions when contemplating it, Language fails
and the behodor is made conscious Of aspira
tons that reach beyond this world and take hold
on aspirations to comprehend MfnHy
So deep is the chasm beneath this projecte
stand point that every object within it'll
rocks anl the shrubbery on the borders of tn
now quiet slream-has tnee of reflected SIX
blue.
If the estimates are correct-and they wer
made by Professor Hansieen of Christian un
yersty tie f, itself is about six times highe
than Niagara, and the summit from which it
seen nine times higher. The cross Triri,
tower, New York, in 3S3 feet above the sid
walk P four such towers one upon the 9TH
and they would rise bn! thitty-two feet abo7
this precipice and sir Bunker Hill monulnen
would not reach the top into 1870 feet. Shou
the Washington monument be carried to thr
times its contemplated height, (though there
no immediate danger OF iO and where it sci in
this ravino, one could step from this rock up
its clpstone.
Where everything is on so grand scale, i.
difficult to estimate distances correctly but
this point, the channal appears to be about |
feet wide. Stand back single yard from
edge, and water is nowhere visible, and there
no sgn of fall whose height cannot be fu
appreciated but b. its awful thunder and lof
cloud This channe' extends several miles, and
plain with lis vegetati n continues to It's utm
verge and even oyerhangs it; 50 thai the VI
turous sheep sometimes lose their balance, a
are precipitaIed into its fiightful depths i
veil authenticated fact, that broken hear
girl once cllmed this heath and deliberately hr
herse off; thus drowning her sorrows in a @
as deep as her own desperate despair,
Spending couple of hours in gazing at
fall from every possible stand point, we relt
antly turned our steps homeward. The abb
of our steeds was severely tested on the ,
down, and nobly did they bear it, Their sae